Huntress
by RayRunRee
Summary: Quent's rebelious daughter is about to witness life through coldness,death,and pain.Can her aggressive nature be put to rest? Is it even real? HigexOC to KibaxOC
1. Hunting is pointless

**Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain but I do own my writing techniques and OC characters. I will know if you steal from me. Write your own stories or you will never feel proud of yourself. Trust me.**

**Huntress**

**Chapter 1**

**Hunting is pointless (POV Prologue)**

Late November, the soft crystalline snow fluttered to the ground in massive amounts of flakes. It turned the dusty brown country road into a white angelic path to heaven...or so it seemed.

The wind gently rushed through the skeleton trees that grew along side this road. This peaceful scene was interrupted by the loud rattling sound of an old rusty blue pick-up truck. Inside was a half-drunken man by the name of Quent.

He, and his daughter in the back, were searching for the wicked animals that destroyed their family so long ago.

Quent looked in the rear view mirror. His daughter was in clear view and seemed to be humming or bored. She had medium length fiery red hair that hid half of her slightly pale face and only showing one of her gray eyes.

She dressed like a boy. Blue jeans and a short orange halter top showing off her well toned abdomen. She was about 16-17 years old and had the most laziest and sarcastic attitude in the world. She sat on the back of the pick-up truck with a knee into her chest as she gazed at the white fluffy sky.

* * *

As I sat on the back of Quent's pathetic truck, I thought about my life and how...meaningless, I guess you can say, it is.We, Quent and I, lived in a quiet little town filled with smiling faces and beautiful blue skies. I was also **"blessed"** with a younger brother and an overprotective mother that would piss anyone off. 

Some people found her gentle, some people found her just a wonderful person in general but I knew better. When that day, that tragic day happened, I cried. But not for my mother but for my brother and for all the pain he had to go through.

I don't exactly remember what happened. All I remember was coming home to a once wonderful white colonial house, now covered in fire and ashes.Quent and I went hunting for deer that day...and I never refused a good hunt. My brother was more on the girly side then I was...or would ever be.

At school, the girls would point and laugh at me. Calling me whatever their tiny brains could produce but I didn't ignore them! Instead, I would fight them.

Now normally when you see two girls fight, it's basically all nails and slaps. But as for me, I fight like a true male streetfighter.I've even got in fights with other boys who think they're better than everyone else.

They ask to fight and I accept their challenge and yet, there is always a teacher or spectator that will say the same stupid rule. **"Boys can't hit girls!" **A rule I absoultely loathe.

Anyway, to put this whole tragic thing in a nutshell.Quent and I came home to a house engulfed in flames and ashes with no one to be found...except for the few wolves roaming around the gravesite of my mother and brother.This is how the old man came to hate wolves so damn much. I personally had nothing against them.

The truck from hell made a sudden jerk to the left nearly tipping over. I ducked my head as we passed through the trees and bushes, braches nearly beheading me.

Every now and then I would get a scratch on my cheek or arm but nothing serious. When the truck stopped, I hopped out of the back and surveyed the area.

Thick emerald forest with pine trees and berry shrubs with purplish mountains that could be seen from a cliff not to far away...I hated it. I mean, I love to hunt but all this fresh air was giving me an ulcer.

There was a slight growling sound coming from the bushes and without warning Quent threw me a rifle. He fired off 3 shots into the bushes and the two of us waited to see what would jump out.

About 8 or 9 minutes passed, maybe he killed it. I decided to take a closer look...bad idea. A gray wolf sprung from the bushes and pinned me to the ground. He/She bared its white teeth and connected its eyes to mine.

I noticed the two bullet wounds on the side of its front leg, I don't remember which one. My gun was too far from my reach and the only ally I had was old man Quent or...

I detected my right arm was free, so I gathered all my strength,anger,and fear and propelled it from my fist to the animal's oral cavity.

Scientific isn't it? The wolf slid in the snow until it hit an oak tree. I was safe now but where the heck was Quent?

Today's Lesson: **Rifles are useless when slid out of reach.**


	2. Wolf's talk?

**Chapter 2**

**Wolves...talk?**

_As I laid on the snowy ground, icy crystals bit my arms.I breathed small white clouds as I gazed at the gray wolf that attacked me,meters away.He too gazed back ,eyes filled with anger.He seemed invincible,for there was no sign of pain in those wild orbs of his._

_He slowly shook the snow off of him as he continually growled at me.I was sadly still on the ground.Even till this day,I still don't know what I was doing.I mean,I knew the wolf was going to kill me if I didn't get up,but I couldn't,I just sat there,staring.I was flat on my back and the rifle was meters away._

_One dash and the gun would be mine,but before I could make any sudden moves,my 4-legged enemy stood over it as if saying, "Oh,were you going to use this thing on me?" I smirked a little and rolled over on my stomach,slowly standing up._

_I stumbled just a little,constantly keeping my eye on the most intelligent animal I have ever met.Actually,it was the only intelligent animal I ever met._

_Anyway,the gray wolf and I had our own little eye glare battle.He growled and showed his teeth and I sadly,stomped and clapped my hands trying to scare the little devil,but he didn't move an inch. _

"Man,you're smart."_ I sighed._

_I searched the little area provided for a branch or a stick.Something to beat the crap out of it.This thing was smart...too smart._

* * *

Acsan was well aware she would have to battle this one out on her own.She noticed a large branch burried beneath the snow which also trailed underneath the wolf. 

Rolling over it,she slammed her fist on the end and like a seesaw,lifted the wolf straight into the air and gravity sended him crashing down into the bushes.

Acsan ran over to her rifle and prepared to fire. As the bushes began to rustle the sound of a small boy calling out distracted her.

"Tsume! Tsume!"

The call was getting closer but she kept her eyes on the rustling bushes.The sound of twigs breaking came from behind her and she instantly turned around.

"Come out!Whoever you are!"She shouted.

Suddenly atimid red-haired boy stepped out of the bushes.He looked a little frightened after witnessing her rifle.

'What's a boy doing out here in the woods?'She thought.

"You...kid...what's your name?"

"T-Toboe." He was still a little uncomfortable.

"What the heck are you doing out here,kid?"

"Um..well I'm looking for my friend Tsume.He's this tall and-"

"I haven't see anyone elsebesides you."Acsan shrugged.

Out of the blue,the gray wolf from earlier staggered out of the bushes growling asit approached the two.

Toboe stood protectively in front of the teenaged girl. "Tsume!Stop it!She didn't do anything."

'Tsume!This wolf is Tsume!' Ascan thought in disbelief.

But as strange as it seemed,Tsume didn't appear at all like a wolf to her.He actually looked more like a human than anything else.He was handsome,dark and mysterious.Acsan had to mentally slap herself in order to avoid gaping over his alluring appearance.

"So you're Tsume,you're a wolf?"

Tsume exhaled slowly looking only at Toboe.

Feeling ignored Acsan spoke again. "You're lucky I didn't kill you!"

"Toboe,what are you doing out here? I thought I told you not to follow me."

Toboe whinced at being scolled. "I was worried that you might get lot."

The conversation went on with Acsan feeling quite invisable all of a sudden.She grumbled to herself.

The sound of gunshots could be heard in the distance breaking up the conversing before the girl could have a say in it.

The three looked into the coblat sky to see black birds flying away in fear.Those gunshots could only come from one person...Quent.

**Today's Lesson:** _"No matter if it's a wolf,turtle,cow, or moose...animals can talk.It's just that fact if we're ready to listen."_


	3. Acsan's Softer Side

**Chapter 3**

**Acsan's softer side**

Gunshots from Quent's rifle, the sounds, soared threw the air as well as the black bird. They brushed against the tall pine tree, sending needles showering down on Acsan and the two wolves.

"And I'm guessing that maybe that old man again."Tsume replied, covering his face with his forearm.

The needles from the tree were still falling.

"Old man...Hey! Are you talking about my father!"

Tsume shrugged. "_Is_ he your father? To tell you the truth I really don't care."

Acsan was about to pick up her gun when Tsume roughly grabbed her wrist. "And if I find my friends hurt in anyway, I will kill you."

He gave her wrist a bone-crushing squeeze and glared at her.Acsan was in pain but didn't want to show it.

"Tsume just let her go, you're hurting her." Toboe sounded concerned.

Tsume growled and pushed her to the ground. "Come on Toboe, I'm sure the others could use our help."

Acsan was about to get up but Tsume stopped her.

"You've done enough damage human!"

He looked her up and down distastefully before disappearing in the bushes with Toboe close behind.Acsan was enraged. Did that-that wolf just tell her what to do! If anyone was going to be the boss of her, it would be herself.

"That bastard!" She said in disbelief.

She stood up in the snow, not bothering to brush it off of her. She picked up her rifle and ran after them.Tsume was not going to lay a finger on her father.

* * *

Quent made a terrible fall onto the hard white snow. Breathing heavily he searched for his gun. 

'Where? Where is it darn it!'

Little did he know that the dark-haired boy, who he had been shooting at, had found the gun first.

"You're pathetic." said the dark-haired boy.

Quent backed up against a fallen branch in full terror as the white wolf came closer.

"No please." Quent stared straight into the yellow orbs of the wolf's angered face.

"Oh.Now you're begging? You don't deserve to live."

"Then why don't we kill him?" Tsume slowly walked out of the tree, with his hands in his pockets.

Toboe said nothing.

"What? I have no reason to die! You're the scum of society!"

"We are!" questioned the snowy wolf, loudly."

With every other word, the white wolf would press harder on Quent's already broken arm. "You've wounded two wolves, one in critical condition, and you call us scum of society! We have done nothing to you!" His eyes narrowed.

"You humans are all the same."

"Quent? Quent? Aw! Stupid stick!"

Acsan came running out of the woods nearly bumping into Tsume.She stood there in worriment.

"Quent ar-"

"Didn't I tell you not to interfere?"Tsume grabbed hold of her wrist yet again.

She snatched her hand away. "Didn't I tell you he was my father?" She ran over to Quent but was blocked by the dark-haired boy.

"Who are you?"

"She's related to the old man!" informed Tsume.

The boy's icy blue eyes connected with hers.

"You are?"

"Yes I am, and why in the hell are you hurting my father?"

The boy pointed to a large light brown wolf bleeding and panting in the snow.

"Did you shoot the wolf?" asked Acsan, pointing to the wounded creature.

"Oh Come on now Acsan! Does that really matter! These beast are about to kill me-"

"And they should, I bet these wolves have done nothing to you."

"Acsan!"

"I'm not protecting you, father!"

Quent was breathless. This is the first time, ever since his daughter was born, that she called him father.

"Since mom and my brother died, you've always blamed their death on wolves.Wolves! Wolves! Wolves! They didn't kill them, Quent! They didn't!" Her voice was filled with emotions.

The boy was still standing between Acsan and Quent.His face was blank. Acsan's glance switched to the boy's.

"Who are you?"

"My name is of no importance."

"Of course it is. I want to know the name of the wolf that wounded my father."

"How do you know I'm a wolf?"

"First of all, I noticed Tsume was a wolf, second, he knows you-"

"But that doesn't explain anyth-"

"I wasn't finished.Thirdly, I doubt a boy dressed like you, would be wandering the woods.Now, tell me your name."

The boy looked at the sky then Tsume and then the wounded wolf.

"It's Kiba."

"Kiba.Hm.Hey Quent, old man, are you able to walk?"

Quent nodded and began to slowly stand up. He walked over to Acsan.

"I see you still have your rifle? Where's your rifle?"

"Go back to the truck."

"Right, there are more guns in the back."

"I want you to leave the woods."

"What! These devils will eat you alive!"

Acsan shook her head."No, they won't."

She was lost in an icy wonderland and it wasn't the woods.

"Now leave, I can take care of them on my own."

"But-"

"Go away Quent." She said sternly.

Quent cursed under his breath." Fine, but don't come running back to me, covered in cuts and bleeding from head to toe."

"Whatever." She smiled, watching her father run off.

When she looked back at Kiba, she found both him, Tsume and Toboe surrounding her.

"There's three of us and only one of you. What do you plan on doing?" said Tsume.

Acsan looked over her shoulder at him.

"I plan on helping your friend out."

As she walked over, Toboe followed close behind. She kneeled down and petted the wolf's stained fur.

"His wounded badly."

"Is he going to be, okay?" asked Toboe.

"We need to keep him, warm.I can take the bullets out, but it will still hurt a little."

"Tsume, can you carry Hige for us?"

"So that's his name, Hige?" Toboe nodded.

The five headed into the forest but what for? You'll soon find out.

**Today's Lesson:** Not all humans are bad.


	4. I forgot to say

**Chapter 4**

**I forget to say...**

The 5 entered a darker, humid part of the forest.

"Place him over there." Acsan pointed to a tree trunk.

Tsume obeyed and laid Hige gently on the ground. He was bleeding horribly.

"I need something to stop the blood flow." She looked at Toboe.

"I don't know what I could do, but I would like to help." Toboe smiled softly.

Acsan looked down at her tank top and ripped a bit off the end. She took the fabric and pressed firmly on Hige's side. He whimpered a little.Tsume looked ready to attack her when Kiba held up his hand to prevent him.

The 2 of them, Kiba and Tsume, stood only a few meters away from Toboe and Acsan "operation" site. As Toboe wiped away the blood, Acsan pulled a knife out of her pocket and flipped in open. The 3 boys had a surprised look on their faces.Kiba's was less noticeable.

Tsume growled. "I hope you know what you're doing." He sounded as if he was giving her a warning.

Acsan ignored him and started cutting away at the dead skin to make room for her to get the mercury-tipped bullets out. The task was timely. Through the whimpering of Hige, and the gasps from Toboe, Quent's daughter finally completed the extensive mission. She took off the bandages from her leg, washed them and used them to bind up the fallen wolf's wounds.

"Wow." Toboe looked at Hige's bandages and then Acsan. "Thank you very much, Acsan."

The red-haired girl only smiled. She glanced at Tsume and Kiba, who were talking amongst themselves and brushed herself off.

"Well I most get going; my father's probably waiting for me."

Toboe eyes lowered in disappointment. Even though no one was looking at her, Acsan waved goodbye and began walking back to the truck.

"Wait!" shouted Toboe. The others looked a little startled at him.

Acsan turned around and looked at him questionably. "Hn?"

Toboe blushed and looked at his feet, mumbling out. "Will...we ever see you again?"

Acsan let out a slight giggle. "Maybe you will and maybe you won't. Besides your wolves, the two of us are enemies. You never know when a may show up with a gun to your head, BANG!" She made a gun with her hand.

Her joking expression soon changed, seeing that Toboe still had a saddened look on his face.

"I don't believe you."

"What do you mean?" She stood there crossing her arms because of the chilly wind.

"I don't think you would shoot me, or anyone else. I think you have to kind of a heart."

"Too kind of a heart.Pft, kid, you most be living in a dreamworld.If I had to shoot you for whatever reason, I would.Period.Just because I saved your friend there, doesn't mean we're allies now. It doesn't work that way."

"But...Kiba attacked your father and you didn't shoot him."

"What?" Her voice was softer now.

Toboe lifted his head, revealing his slightly tear stained face.

"You could have grabbed that gun out of the snow and shot Kiba to death and possibly the rest of us too...But you didn't-you didn't do it because you cared. Because you were too kind of a person."

Acsan stood there speechless. She noticed Hige starting to get up and began to walk away.Toboe noticed as well.

"Hige! You're awake!" He helped the wounded wolf up.

"Hey Toboe." When he was fully standing he spotted Acsan in the distance. "Who's that?"

"That's Acsan.She's a human. She's the one who bandages you up."

"She's a human?" His voice was still a little whispery.

Hige wanted to run after her but called away her instead. Toboe tried to calm him down.

"Hige, you'll faint again if you do that."

Tsume jumped down from a branch and tried to cover Hige's mouth.

"Just let her go. She's not that important."

While Tsume, Toboe and Hige, wrestled in the snow, Kiba watched the red-haired her walk off. He decided, for Hige's sake, to follow her and at least say thank you on his behalf.

"Hige, you can't go after her-Hey!" Tsume noticed Kiba staring at Acsan from afar.

"Are you going after her, Kiba?" asked Toboe, softly.

Kiba looked at him, nodded and raced off towards the girl.

* * *

Acsan seemed to be out in the middle of a white deserted wasteland. She was lost now and there was a high percentage that Quent wasn't waiting for her. She cursed herself for not bringing her jacket like her father ordered. Why did she always have to be such a rebel? 

The wind was becoming extremely violent. As it bit her delicate skin, her crimson hair whipped around her head and randomly hit her face. She stopped on what seemed like a trail and looked around her for any signs of a vehicle. Hugging herself, she began to pace through the brutal wind and gasp slightly in the dry air. This was certainly not the type of weather a human could survive.

* * *

Kiba quickly followed the clear trail of Acsan.He too was feeling the effects of the terrible weather but wasn't bothered as much as a human would be. That thought just made him even more worried about the girl's safety. He followed the trail even faster and called out to her.

* * *

Acsan slide down next to a barbed wire fence. The fence formed a road that ran east to west. She looked down both sides of the road and started to lose hope. No one was coming for her, no one knew where she was and she was going to die here.Acsan thought about everything that she had done wrong in her life and concluded that she was a complete failure. 

As she sat there, thinking, she broke down and cried. The only thing that cheered her up was remembering what Toboe said about her, but it didn't last. Starting to feel a little tired, Acsan curled up into a little ball and fell asleep with the sounds of howling echoing in her ears.

"Stupid Wolves." She mumbled before she fully blacked out.

**Today's Lesson:** When it comes to blizzards, never go off by yourself.


	5. Thanks

**Chapter 5**

**Thanks**

Kiba started to slightly panic. He had been howling and searching for 3 hours straight. He soon came upon a fence that seemed to have been built near a road. He dung under the barbed fencing and trotted down the road, looking in all directions.

He turned his head away from the wind as snow started to fall. If he didn't find the girl soon, he too would be caught in the blizzard. He decided to continue down the road and called out to her once more.

Kiba was about to call out once more when Acsan scent became very strong. And sure enough, there she was covered faintly with slow melting snowflakes and crystals. His gasped in surprise, ran over to her and licking her face.

'Come come, wake up.' He thought.

* * *

Hige quickly unwrapped his bandages, impatient to check his wounds. 

"Hige, don't do that, it will start to bleed again." Toboe said in concern.

Tsume paced the snowy forest floor. "Where is he? Why did Kiba have to go looking for that human?"

"Maybe Kiba wanted to tell her thank you?" suggested Toboe, kneeling in front of Hige.

"Yea well, at least you guys got to see her face. I didn't even get that pleasure.Hey Toboe?"

Toboe was a little startled. "Huh?"

"That Acsan girl, was she pretty?"

Toboe looked at the ground in thought, then back up at Hige smiling. "Uh Huh.She was really pretty."

Hige's face went from a smile to a frown. He slammed his back against the tree trunk. "Ah Man!"

"But I bet she liked you, Hige." Toboe said with failed encouragement.

Tsume punched a tree causing bark to fly and the two younger wolves jump.

"That's it! I'm going after him!"

"But Tsume, there's a blizzard out there. It's safer if we just stay right here." Toboe stood up and ran over to Tsume.

"No! Toboe, I want you and Hige to stay right here, got it?"

"But Tsume-"

"Stay here!" And with that, the rebellious gray wolf disappeared into the fanatical blizzard.

* * *

"Acsan? Acsan?" The sound of a calm male voice softly passed through Acsan's ear. 

As she opened her eyes, the image of a white wolf started to develop. Her green eyes widened with fear as they met the animal's yellow ones. She wanted to run but found her legs to be numb.

"Just go away, please... just go away." She closed her eyes tightly.

"Why?" That same gentle voice spoke again but when Acsan opened her eyes again, the boy that attacked her father appeared before her.

'Kiba?' She thought.

"If I leave you, you'll die out here. You know that right?"

Acsan rolled her eyes and pulled herself up to lean against the fence post. "Thank you Mister Survival." She said sarcastically.

"It's cold out here; you may get sick if we don't get you somewhere warm."

"Once again, thanks for the brilliant idea. The only reason why you can survive out here is because you're a wolf..." She pointed at him. "...and I'm a human."

Kiba brushed off the girl's sarcasm and looked as if he didn't hear her. "Can you walk?"

She shook her head. "Then I guess I'll have to carry you."

Acsan eyes widened. She didn't like that idea. She looked up at Kiba, who stared blankly at her.

"What?"

"Do you...really have to carry me?"

"I doubt you're that heavy, besides, do you have a better idea or would you like me to drag you instead?"

"That wasn't funny!" She shouted.

"I wasn't joking." He kept the same blank face.

Acsan crossed her arms and looked at the ground angrily. "Fine. You can carry me then."

Kiba kneeled down next to her and slid one arm under her legs and the other around her upper back. He gently lifted her up and looked down at her.

"Now do you still want me to carry you? Cause I can drag you too, just not as gently."

Acsan was getting so angry that she became dizzy and decided not to fight back.

"Just leave me alone, Kiba." She was reluctant at first but eventually laid her head on his chest and fell asleep.

* * *

Toboe finished rebinding Hige's injures when Tsume reappeared from the blizzard. He ran up to the gray wolf who was panting heavily. 

"Tsume, you don't look so good."

"I didn't find him." Tsume looked disappointed.

"It's alright, Tsume.I'm sure he's okay. He's probably on his way back at this very moment."

Hige plotted down next to Tsume. "Yea.Kiba is one amazing wolf. If anyone could get through this blizzard it would be him."

Toboe blinked and looked up into the pure white sky.

'I sure hope you're okay too, Acsan.'

* * *

Kiba had now been carrying Acsan for several hours. They soon came across an abandon tool shed. It was poorly made and about 4 or 5 feet high.Kiba steeped over the fence and walked up to the shed. Using the right hand that supported Acsan's back, he opened the door and placed the girl tenderly on a pile of what looked like hay. He closed that door behind him and started to make a fire. 

The sound of Acsan sighing grabbed his attention. He was satisfied that she wasn't shivering anymore,yet,he still wanted to keep her from getting the flu.Kiba crawled over to her and took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulder. She stirred in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes. Her face was turning back to its normal hue as she sat up rubbing her legs.

"Where are we?" She sounded a lot like a certain young wolf.

"In a shed, I think."

"Oh." She looked down at the jacket as it slowly slid down her arms. "I bet you want your jacket back, huh?"

"If you're not cold, anymore."

She handed him the jacket and scooted a little away from him.Kiba kept his cerulean eyes on her.

"I won't hurt."

"I know that." She said sternly, snapping her neck back in his direction.

"Then why do you ask so uncomfortable around me."

"I don't know. Maybe it's just the fear."

"What fear?"

"The fear we've been taught to embrace. The fear of your kind, wolves."

"And you believe in this fear? You've embraced it?"

Acsan nodded. "Yes I have, but I-" She looked into Kiba's eyes. "But I would like to believe differently."

Kiba slowly slid down and laid his head on the hay, without taking his eyes off of her.

"Then I will teach you tomorrow."

"Alright." She whispered. "Good night, Kiba."

Kiba didn't respond and closed his eyes.Acsan smiled at him for being so empty and lacking social skills. Maybe she would teach him a thing or to too.Acsan looked at him one last time before falling back to sleep next to the majestic and handsome white wolf.

**Today's Lesson:** Never judge a book by its cover.


	6. What could of happen?

**Chapter 6**

**What could of happen**

Acsan woke up to the sound of the shed door slamming. She walked outside and found Kiba leaning against a fence pole. He seemed to be sleeping and his arms were crossed. She walked over to him and sat down in front of him.

"I see your legs are working again." He lifted his head and looked her over. "And you look nice today. Well at least healthy."

Acsan smiley face changed dramatically. "Are you trying to say I'm ugly?"

Kiba didn't answer. He stood up and started to walk off.

"Hey you stupid wolf where are you going!"

The colorless wolf turned around and growled at her.

"Kiba? What are you doing?" Acsan was getting nervous.

Kiba sprinted towards her. "This is your first lesson!" But before Acsan could react, he tackled her to the ground.

Acsan screamed as he pinned her down. The screaming soon stopped when she realized that Kiba wasn't attacking. She opened her eyes to see the pale boy sitting on her waist.

"Rule 1, never run away from the attacker."

"I wasn't _running_ away!"

"But you screamed."

"Huh? Yea well-"

"Pathetic."

"Just shut up and get off of me."

Kiba slid off of her and sat in front her. He was in his wolf form now.

"Why do you keep changing forms?"

"Does that really matter?"

She made a little grumbling sound. The two just sat there looking at each other.Kiba didn't like the look of curiosity on Acsan's face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason." She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on them.

"You're just a very...handsome looking wolf." Acsan secretly gave herself a mental slap for saying such things.

Kiba looked at the sky. He was too busy dreaming about something that had nothing to do with Acsan.

"Hey! You're ignoring me again aren't you?" She brushed herself off and walked up behind him.

"Hello? Earth to Kiba?" She looked at him and then the sky.

She shook her head. "Stupid wolf."

Acsan walked off, kicking the snow.

Now that was a statement Kiba heard. He turned his head towards the girl. He suddenly remembered that he was still teaching her "the ways of a wolf"...so he tackled her.

"Ow! Daggit Kiba!" She kicked at him but he only dodged it and pinned her back down.

"Is that the best you can do human?"

Acsan tried to fight him off, but he was too strong. "Kiba get off of me!"

"No! You have to learn how to defend yourself from a wolf attack. So start working harder!"

"Kiba get off of me!" The sudden strength that came from Acsan was unknown but she was able to fling Kiba off of her and pin him to the ground instead.

Kiba have a barely noticeable surprised look on his face but he was content. "Very good. I knew you had it in you all along."

Acsan stood up and helped Kiba up. She brushed snow off her pants. "So should we head back to the others?"

Kiba nodded and started to walk away.Acsan trotted a little to catch up with him.

"So Kiba, when we get back, what will happen to me?"

"You're responsible for yourself." He looked at her blankly. "Besides, you're a big girl; I don't have to keep looking after you, do I?"

Acsan rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She mumbled.

Moments later the two met up with the rest of Kiba's pack. Hige was the first to notice their arrival and ran up to Acsan taking her hand.

"Wow, looks like Toboe was telling the truth."

"Uhhh..." Acsan blinked in confusion.

"Acsan, this is Hige, the wolf you medicated." Kiba explained everything.

"Oh.Well it's nice to meet you. But what was Toboe telling you?"

Hige had a goofy look on his face. "He just said that you were really pretty and he was right."

Acsan could plainly see that Hige was going to be a flirt, and immediately pulled her hand away. She walked over to Toboe and started a little conversation with him, leaving Hige dumbfounded.

"What took you two so long to get back?" Tsume suddenly appeared behind Kiba.

"The weather was far too harsh for Acsan to withstand. If I left her in the blizzard, she could have died."

Tsume made a distasteful look and walked over to a tree trunk with his hands behind his head.Kiba watched him, his face hinted with annoyance.Hige scratched his head and patted the blue-eyed boy on the shoulder.

"It's alright.That's what makes you such a good person."

Kiba brushed Hige's hand away and looked at Tsume then Acsan. "So, what will happen to the girl?" asked Hige.

"She can't stay with us." Kiba sat down on a fallen branch.

"But...we can't leave her out here!"

"She can handle herself."

* * *

From a distance, Acsan could hear the others talking about her. Ever since she was 10, Acsan hated it when people talked about her, so she walked over and sat right in front of the two of them. Toboe sat near Tsume and observed the discussion. 

"You know, what really ticks me off ? When people are afraid to speak to me. You of all people, wolves even, shouldn't be afraid to talk to me. If you had a problem with me, you should've let me know instead of talking behind my back."

"We weren't." Hige held up his hands in defense. The girl didn't look angry but you never know. "We were just talking about what we were going to do with you."

"Oh! And what was your conclusion?"

"Um...I have agreed to take you back to the nearest city." Hige raised his hand.

"Oh...Alright."

"Are you angry?" Toboe asked a little nervous.

She shook her head. "Mm Mm.I'll be fine. In addition..." Acsan wrapped her arms around Hige and rubbed cheeks with him,being sarcastic of course. "I have a cute wolf to keep me company."

Hige's confused face soon changed to an excited one. He picked Acsan up and swung her around. "I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! SHE LIKES ME! ACSAN LIKES ME!"

Acsan, on the other hand, was destined...destined to puke. "Hige put me down!"

Toboe noticed the human girl's greenish face. "Uh, I think you should put her down Hige.She doesn't look so well."

Hige looked up at the pale faced girl; she was going to throw up. He gently paced her on her feet and the two waved goodbye.

"I hope to see you again, Acsan!" shouted Toboe.

Tsume smirked. "Looks like someone else has a crush on that pathetic human girl."

Toboe gave him an oh-just-shut-up look.Kiba stood up and began walking in the opposite direction.

"Hey, where ya going Kiba?"

"We need to get moving."

"But Hige-"

"He can handle himself." interrupted Kiba.

Without a word, Tsume stood up and followed the white wolf.Toboe looked at the two wolves and then in the direction Acsan and Hige went.

"Hurray up Hige." He whispered.

* * *

Hige and Acsan entered a near by city in about 45 minutes. It was old and dusty but not abandoned.Hige sniffed the air and winkled his nose in disgust. 

"Oh man, this place reeks!"

Acsan walked passed him. "It's the pollution, you'll get used to it."

"Riiight.So, where do you want to go? I doubt your old man is around here."

"You can leave now."

"Wha!You just want me to leave? Just like that!"

Acsan made a pose very similar to Tsume's. "Well, you got a better idea?"

"Um...no."

"Do you want to go dancing? Oh...Wait wolves can't dance."

"And it's gonna stay that way." He pointed his finger at her.

"Maybe you and I can just walk and talk for a while. That is, if you're able to."She said looking at his stomach.

"Ha ha ha very funny."

Acsan closed her eyes and stretched. "Hey I just don't want to tire you out,Hige.I've seen you in wolf form and it makes me think, no wonder you were the only one to get shot. You got all that stuff to carry around."

Hige made his hands into fist. "Are you saying I'm fat!"

Acsan shook her head in sequent with her finger. "No no no, I'm just...telling you! Ha Ha! Fat ass!"

She rustled his hair and stuck out her tongue.Hige playfully growled and tickled her to the ground.Acsan found it hard to removed herself from under him.

"Hige get off of me, you're crushing my body!"

"As long as you stop making fun of me. Say you're sorry!"

"Never!"

"Say it!"

Acsan was on the verge of crying. When she noticed her arms were free, she wasted no time in giving him a tickle attack of her own. She victoriously sat on his stomach and continued her tickling assault.

For what seemed like hours, the two of them laughed and cried with happiness. They didn't know it, but civilians were watching them in curiosity. Hige and Acsan but made a truss and helped each other up.

They walked down an alleyway and into what looked like an old car lot or a junkyard for broken down cars. Still laughing, Acsan climbed on top of a rusty yellow bus and Hige leaped on afterwards. He sat Indian style and leaned back looking at the white sky. Both were now calm.

"So, what do you think about wolves now, huh Acsan?"

Acsan pulled her left knee to her chest and rested her chin on it. "Do you mean wolves like you or wolves like Tsume?"

Hige chuckled. He liked Acsan's sense of humor. She could handle his presents a lot better than the others could. He glanced at her in pure interest. She was beautiful and funny. Perfect combination but...sadly, she was a human.

Acsan turned around and looked at him. "Hey, are you going to answer my question or just check me out all day."

"Uh...well...what was the question?" Hige blushed a little.

"Never mind." She giggled.

She laid back on the bus roof while Hige straighten out his legs and looked over his shoulder at the attractive human.Acsan noticed.

"What is it?"Acsan supported herself on her elbows and looked at the boy.

It was easy to see that Hige was thinking but about what?

"Hige?"

"Hm."

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Hige rubbed the back of his head and smiled. "Nah, it's nothing." He leaped off the bus.it wasn't worth it.

Acsan leaned over the side. "Hey, Where are you going!"

"Back to my pack. See ya later!" He waved goodbye and ran off into the city.

"Yeah...see ya Hige." She spoke to herself. Acsan rested her head on her hands and landed back on the bus roof with a thud. As she slowly began to fall asleep, she made a mental note to never ever forget Hige.

**Today's Lesson:** Friendships and attractions can come from the most unlikely of places.


	7. I wanted you

**Chapter 7**

**I wanted you**

At the pool bar, Acsan listened to the saxophone and stared into her drink. She watched as the water droplets slide down her glass. As she sat there, she had visions of Hige run through her mind. His cuddly fur, his kind words, and his cute little nose that he always stuck in the air...wait...what was she thinking?

Hige was a wolf. Maybe she was talking about him the way anyone would talk about a puppy.Yeah that was it. But still the visions of Hige constantly danced trough her head.

"Well I finally see you came back?" said Quent, who sat next to her with a beer in his left hand.

"Oh, hey pop."

"You were gone for a long time, where were you?"

"Oh, now you care!" Acsan rolled her eyes.

Quent was about to respond when the sound of barking and shouts came from outside. The sudden noise caused everyone in the bar to turn their head to the window.

Quent stood up first, then Acsan. "What the devil?"

Acsan rushed outside and stopped in her tracks. The sight before her made her speechless.

* * *

Toboe was constantly looking behind him, which irritated the heck out of Tsume.

"Toboe, what's wrong?"

"It's Hige, he's not back yet."

Tsume turned away. "Hm.He's probably turning to mate with that human girl. He's come."

Kiba said nothing and continued to walk with Tsume close behind.Toboe, on the other hand, was still worried.

"Can we please look for him? It's been to long."

"Maybe Toboe's right." Kiba finally said. "Maybe that human is not as she appears."

"I knew we couldn't trust her. And Hige..."

"Poor Hige." whispered Toboe, looking at the ground.

"Knowing him, he probably just walked right into her trap." Tsume clutched his fist and darted off running.

Kiba and Toboe wasted no time in following. The town where Acsan and Hige were located was about 2.5 miles away and the blizzard, thankfully subsided.

They arrived at the city of Newbreten.So the sign said.Tsume and Kiba sniffed the air while Toboe searched for any signs of Hige.The sounds of a familiar howl, perked the ears of the three.

"That was Hige!" Toboe said in worried excitement.

* * *

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Those were the words that could be heard outside the Hog House Bar.Acsan watched 5 men armed with rifles and knives, surround a light brown wolf. At first she worried about the wolf's safety, but when she caught sight of the wolf's eyes, she really became concerned.

"Heh heh, that stupid wolf will never know what hits him." Quent laughed, walking up from behind his daughter.

"Oh my God, Hige." Acsan whispered.

Hige was slowly being backed into a corner, rifles armed.Acsan wanted to help, but what would the civilians say. But wait, why did she care? Acsan was having a mental fight with herself. What was she going to do?

"Okay Marty, pump em' full of lead." shouted a man with a box-cutter.

Marty must have been the one with the Intratec TEC-DC-9, 9-mm semi-automatic handgun. Couple of shots and Hige would be unidentifiable.Acsan was shaking in fear of not knowing what to do. She never felt so helpless in her life. So she closed her eyes, got on her knees and waited for the immorality noise.

But it never came.Instead,it was the sound of agony and growling.Acsan opened her eyes to see Marty being disgustingly ripped to shreds by a gray wolf. The other 4 men were under pursuit by a white and auburn wolf.

"Hige...Where's Hige?" She whispered.

For some reason, she was out of breath. Probably from holding it in terror. She stood up and roamed the streets, searching.People of the city fled in horror and bumped into her. Millions upon millions of men, women, and children, screaming at the top of their lungs as the barking and growling became thunderous.

"Wolves! The wolves have returned!"

While the civilians ran away from the action, Acsan did the complete opposite. Maybe Hige was fighting the men as well. Moments later, she spotted him sitting in an entrance of a dead end alleyway. She ran over to him and kneeled in front of him.

"Oh my gosh, Hige-"

"Don't touch me." He interrupted.

"Wha?"

His head was down. "Did your old man follow you?"

Acsan shook head slowly.

Hige didn't seem to be injured badly but he did have scratches and cuts.

"Did-did they hurt you?" She softly touched his arm, but he pulled it away.

"No." He snapped quietly.

"Hige are you ma-"

"I should be! I mean you were right there!"

"You saw me."

"Duh! Why didn't you help me!"

"I thought you could handle yourself."

"I could but would of thought you had my back, but I GUESS NOT!"

"Look Hige, I couldn't decided whether you needed my help or not! I mean, you were injured!" She raised her voice.

"Right I was injured!"

Acsan realized what she said.

"See what I mean? Duh Acsan! That's why I needed your help!"

Acsan looked away then snapped her head back to him. "Wait a minute. I thought you already left the city but at the junkyard."

Hige eyes rested a little. "I decided to stay a little while longer."

"Why! The others were waiting for you!"

"I wanted to get something first."

"What? Food!"

"No...You." He looked away.

"What?" She whispered.

Hige was about to answer when he saw Quent coming down the street with a gun limping, so he darted off into the horizon.Acsan chased him a few feet before calling out his name once more. But the wolf kept going.

Quent was out of breath and grabbed onto Acsan's shoulder for support.

"Where...is he?"

"Where's who?"

"Don't play dumb! Where's...the wolf?"

Acsan pointed to the horizon. The street was now back to its lonely gray self.

Quent started to limp back down the street. "Come on, we're going after em'."

Acsan blinked then nodded her head. "Right." She whispered.

**Today's Lesson: No matter what gun is in front of you, even if it's a Intratec TEC-DC-9, 9-mm semi-automatic handgun, don't move...eh forget that!RUNNNN!**

**(A/N Version) Today's Lesson: It's okay to be afraid, but it's not okay to be afraid when lives are at stack.**


	8. Make the pain go away Part 1

**Chapter 8**

**Make the pain go away(P1)**

Acsan leaned against the truck window with her leg to her chest. She held her head as the truck bumped and rattled up and down the road.Quent randomly looked over at his daughter who seemed depressed.

"Acsan, what the heck is a matter with you? Why are you so down in the dumps?"

"It's nothing." She said blankly turning her head closer to the window.

"Pft.You're just like your mother, moody and whiny."

"I'm not whiny!" she shouted.

"Sheesh, why do woman always have to have mood-swings?"

* * *

They drove for about 4 hours which led them outside the city limits.Quent had been following the paw prints and his gut feeling.Acsan was also a little antsy to see Hige. 

"Pop...Pop!"

"What girl?"

"We've been driving for hours, when are you going to pull over?"

"Would you rather walk?"

"N-No."

"Then shut up." The old man when back to squinting at the road in front of him.

Anything was still white and hazy. Plus to make it worse, the truck didn't have a heater. So for about 7 most freezing hours; the two sat in the truck and said nothing to each other, as they putted across the winter wonderland.

Quent could tell the trail was getting warmer but before they could continue the hunt, the truck suddenly broke down.Acsan narrowed her eyes.

"Wait; don't tell me, the truck is out of gas."

"Yep."

"And we have to walk out there?" She pointed out the window without turning her head.

"Yep."

"Jesus." She mumbled irritated.

The two humans walked along the snowy road.Acsan repeatedly called out Hige's name while Quent loaded his gun.

"Hige! Hig- What are you doing?"

"Acsan those wolves caused enough trouble and I'm gonna make sure that ends tonight."

"Tonight! Are you trying to say we are going to be out here all night!"

"Maybe. I don't know how long this will take."

"Cripes." She mumbled.

* * *

Hige leaned against a tree completely out of breath. "Man...There's no way I'll be able to find the guys at this rate." 

"Oh really?"

Hige knew whose voice that was so he didn't turn around to see.

"Hey." said Tsume also leaning against the same tree. "What took you so long to get here, Hige?"

"I was talking with Acsan."

"The human?"

"Yes, but that's not all that went on."

"Oh really." At this time Kiba and Toboe joined the two.

"So where else did you go, Hige? We were really worried." Toboe asked.

"I got in a fight."

"With?" asked Kiba.

"The humans." He whispered.

"See I told you that dumb broad couldn't be trusted! Man, when I get my hands on her!" Tsume growled.

"I wasn't her fault." said Hige. "Acsan didn't have anything to do with i-"

Crunching snow, halted the wolf-boys' conversation; each of them stood there ground to see who was approaching.Hige eyes widened after hearing the sounds of a female and male arguing. Two humans with the same description appeared over the hill.

"It's Acsan." said Toboe.

Tsume felt uneasy seeing the rifle in Quent's hands.Kiba placed a hand in front of him in order to stop him from attacking the old man.

"Acsan, what are you doing here?" Hige asked, keeping an eye on Quent's rifle.

Acsan opened her mouth but nothing came out.Hige knew what she wanted to ask and he took a step closer to her.

"Acsan tell me." His voice softened.

"Maybe later." she looked away.

Quent stepped in front of his daughter and raised his trusty rifle. "Back off wolf!I shot you once I can shoot you again." He fired 3 shots glazing Hige's arm just once.

"Dad stop! We don't have to use violence."

"Since when do you disagree to violence?...And since when did you call me dad?" Quent shouted back.

"Look all I'm saying is maybe you shouldn't attack them."

"Acsan, you saw what they did to me, so don't tell me what I should and shouldn't do, now move!"

A shot fired in the air but it wasn't from Quent's gun.Acsan looked down the hill to see a fairly large group of armed men running towards her. She could see they had torches and knives as well.

"Ah, finally, a little backup." snickered Quent with confidence.

Acsan turned to Hige and grabbed his arms as he did the same. "You should leave!" They said in unison.

"I can takecare of myself." said Hige.

"I have to protect my father...and you."

Hige had a minor shocked look on his face.Acsan let go of his arms and ran over to her father, who was signaling that the wolves were near him.Tsume was getting restless. He looked at Kiba.

"I hope you don't expect me to run away, Kiba, because that's not going to happen!" The gray rushed down the snowy hill at full speed.

One of the men in the crowd of angry villagers saw a silvery wolf approaching them fast with the aid of a white wolf.

"It's the same wolves that attacked our city!" yelled the man to his people.

Quent laughed as he watched the wolves slowly be surrounded by the residents.Toboe and Hige, both were getting defensive.Acsan could see this perfectly.

"Hey pop, cut it out." she whispered.

She walked over to the other wolves. Hige went back to leaning against the dead oak tree. She sat in front of him and hugged herself as the wind started to pick up again.

"I feel like a sitting duck." Hige snapped under his breath.

"Then why don't you go help your friends?"

"I can't. How do I know you or your father over there won't try to kill Toboe?"

"Because I don't kill animals and I'll make sure my father doesn't either."

Hige turned his head to the action down the hill. "Why do I feel like I can't trust you?"

"Maybe because you're dwelling on what Tsume said?" She looked down the hill, then back at Hige. "Or maybe because I'm not a wolf like you."

Their eyes met. Both were serious and seemed to be exploring the others soul.

"Why do we have to be enemies, Hige? Wolves and Humans that is."

Hige slowly shrugged. "I don't know, but if it has to be that way..." He looked at Quent, who was still laughing and enjoying himself. "Then so be it."

Acsan gazed at the snow before her. "All my life I have constantly called the failure, the lier, and the misfit. I always wanted to be something great, something that could be called majestic. Something like you, Hige."

She caught his attention.Toboe walked over and sat next to him.

"You, Toboe and the others are so lucky. To tell you the truth, I want to be free. Run away from all this chaos."

"It's like she wants to go to paradise." Toboe whispered to Hige.

"Yeah, but there is no paradise for humans." Hige sounded slightly uncomfortable.

"Hige, there has to be a way out of this battle, this constant war with man and beast." Acsan raised her voice with hope.

Hige stood up and shook his head. "Pft."

"Hige, it's not funny."

"Who's laughing? Look, the chaotic battle between wolf and man will always be alive. Alive in Human's blood and alive in wolf's blood. And as soon as one generation in over, another will follow in it's place and once again destroy the entire society including themselves. There is just nothing we can do about it."

Acsan listened to Hige's words as she watched Tsume and Kiba tear and claw at the villagers, sending them to their grave one by one. She soon realized just how right Hige was. Society was becoming filled with more and more turmoil.

'It doesn't have to be this way...does it?'

* * *

The two aggressive wolves' fur was stained with dark blood. Every single human had been slaughtered and the only humans left were Quent...and Acsan. 

"And then there were two." Tsume growled.

"Tsume-don't. They're not worth it."

"Who cares about them? In case you're suffering another memory lapse, that old man was the one who almost killed Hige."

"True, but _he_ didn't kill Hige, did he?"

"Hn."

"It was because of Acsan.She cares about Hige's life more than her own and I guess you can say, she sees things in a different light compared to her father."

"She's a human; Kiba.What makes you so sure she won't turn against us?"

"So you do believe she's trustable?"

"Grr, maybe.For now. But what about her father?"

"I'm afraid there's just no other way to handle him."

Tsume looked at Kiba and back up at the snowy hill where the others were positioned.Toboe soon appeared over the hill and trotted towards them.

"What's going on up there?" Kiba asked blankly.

"Acsan and Hige are talking." Toboe stretched.

"About what?" Kiba shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Um...I'm not sure, something about..."

The sound of gunfire startled the 3 and black birds, once resting in the oak tree on the hill, were now fluttering through the dry winter air.

"Damnit!" Tsume said under his breath.

He and the others sprinted back up the snowy white hill now stained and spotted with champagne red.

(No matter what type of generation may come,racism,prejudice,hatred,stereotypes,and pain will always exsist always.)

A/n: Fallen Petals 3 may take a little longer...Toboe is gettinfg frisky!


	9. Make the pain go away Part 2

**Chapter 9**

**Make the pain go away (Part 2)**

Hige huddled over in pain after being shot 4 times in the stomach and arm.Quent caught him off guard and took advantage. Blood seeped down his shirt and stained the white snow.

The old man reloaded his gun and aimed but found his daughter in the way. She was slightly holding Hige trying to see how bad his wounds were but the wolf wouldn't let her.

"Acsan, what the heck are you doing!"

She turned around with parts of her face and neck covered in the brown wolf's blood. Her heart was pounding as panic rushed through her veins causing her to pant.

Quent set off 3 more shots two hitting Hige in the back. It came to Quent's attention that the wolf was actually trying to protect Acsan.Hige's vision was becoming blurry do to the loss of blood. He finally collapsed right before Tsume tackled the old gunman to the cold ground.

Toboe rushed over to Acsan, who was resting the brown wolf's unconscious body on her lap. She was stroking his fur and crying into it. She didn't look up when Toboe kneeled next to her.

"Is he?" Toboe questioned.

"I don't know." She pressed her ear against his chest, the heartbeat was faint.

"Youignorant bastard!" The two raised their heads at Tsume voice.

Quent lay on the ground holding his bleeding nose. It was apparent that Tsume must have struck the old man across the face with his own gun.

"Tsume, stop it!" Acsan stood up, laid Hige in Toboe's lap and snatched the gun away throwing it over the hill. "You're making things worse."

Tsume grunted. "Make things worse? _You _and your stupid father started this mess, so someone has got to finish it."

"Doesn't mean it has to be you!" She shouted.

Tsume was a little taken. No female has ever yelled at him before, let alone a human! Besides, he was a lot taller, stronger and brighter than she would ever be, so why did she have a say in anything!

He stood in front of her looking down at her, trying to make her feel intimidated. But Acsan didn't move a muscle.

"Since when do you have a say in anything? Do you even know who you're dealing with!"

"An idiotic wolf that needs to learn a little respect!"

Tsume growled at her with an irresistible urge to slap her into the earth.Instead, he rolled his eyes at her, put his hands behind his head and walked off.

"Stupid humans." he slurred.

"Jerk…"Acsan whispered.

She turned back to her father who was trying to stand up. She quickly rushed over and helped him.

"Dad, where are you going! Or at least trying to go."

Quent held his nose and coughed several times. "Acsan…I told you…they were nothing but trouble. I'm going back…to the truck and see if I can start it up."

"Do you need any help?"

"No." He pulled away. "I'm a grown man, I can handle myself."

"You sure." She sounded a bit sarcastic.

"Acsan, here!" He threw her his trusty rifle and started to limp off.

"_Eh_.And what am I suppose to do with this!"

"Jesus Acsan, It's not brain surgery! Figure it out!" He disappeared in the hazy wind.

Acsan dropped the gun and hugged herself as she watched the sun slowly sink behind the purplish mountains. It was obvious that she was thinking or at least had something on her mind. She kneeled down into the snow trying to keep herself warm when suddenly a tsunami of snow came crashing down on her already frozen body.

She screamed trying to get the snow out of her short tank top. After the snow melted, her top was soaked and stuck to her peach skin. She jumped to the sudden uproar of laughing coming from Tsume.

"What the hell was that for! I didn't even do anything, Tsume!"

"Don't be stupid! That was merely a punishment for trying to stand up to me. You're not as dominant as you think you are."

Acsan stomped over to him and looked him straight in the eye.

"Well?" He questioned, giving her the same intense look.

Without hesitation, the young human girl delivered a slap that was so solid and loud, that it could wake up the devil.Unfornately, the slap wasn't strong enough to knock Tsume to the ground. And in an instant, the tanned boy grabbed hold of her wrist and twisted it behind her back.

Acsan bit her lip trying not to cry or scream. The boy shoved her onto the ground making her eat a face full of snow without letting go of her wrist. His knee drove into her back and that's when she screamed.

Kiba, who was already uneasy about the whole situation, grabbed hold of Tsume and pulled him off. Both boys went tumbling to the ground.Toboe, who already placed Hige down, hurried over to the girl and helped her sit up.

He brushed the snow out of her face and some out of her hair. His eyes widened in surprise seeing Acsan's narrow in disgust. The two of them could see that Kiba had finally calmed Tsume down but would that be enough and would it last?

There was silence. A long silence filled with evil glares and whistles from the wind.Hige at this point, was finally able to stand and leaned against the tree for support.

"Hey…why is everything so quiet?"

For a few seconds, no one said a word.

"Hige, you're okay!" Toboe tried to change the subject.

He walked over to the taller boy and gave him a friendly hug.Hige noticed the bruises on Acsan's wrist, for she was only a few feet away.Tsume and Kiba's clothes and hair was speckled with snow, plus Tsume's left cheek was a rosy color.

"Okay, someone better tell me what the heck really went on!" Hige shouted.

Now at this time Acsan was rethinking a few things like:

1. What was she doing her?

2. Why did she let Tsume talk to her that way?

3. Why did she let Tsume touch her that way!

4. Why was she still here?

4. Why was she being so silent?

5. What would of happen if she shot these wolves?

And 6. Did she just count 4 twice?

Hige questions interrupted her concentration.

"Come on, someone's gotta tell me something!"

"Don't worry."Acsan stood up and brushed herself off. She walked across from Tsume ignoring his glares.

"Tsume will tell you everything, once I'm gone of course."

She gave the boys a snobbish smile and disappeared down the hill. None of the boys even bother to run after her, there was no point.

Hige rubbed his bloody arm and held it. "Well Tsume, what happen?"

Tsume grunted and turned away.Toboe was quick to answer.

"Tsume attacked her."

"Why the hell did he do that?...Wait, don't tell me, because she's a human?"

"Because she slapped me!" Tsume shouted and sounded a little childish.

"So that gave you the right to attack her!"

"Yes."

"Tsume, she's a girl. A human none the less!"

"Which gives a perfect reason to attack her!"

Toboe and Kiba watched them shout back and forth.Kiba sighed shaking his head and walked over to Toboe.

"What do we do now, Kiba?" Toboe looked up at him, openly.

Kiba blinked at him and then glanced up at the white sky. "The wind's picking up, a storm is coming."

The white wolf began to walk away in the opposite direction that Acsan did.Toboe jogged to catch up.

"Are we leaving them?" He asked.

"Tsume and Hige are pretty fast. They'll come when they're ready."

"No I mean Acsan and her father." He looked ahead of him. "If there's a storm coming, shouldn't we help them?"

"I prefer my face to be slap-free if you know what I mean, Toboe."

Toboe understood, he just hoped they would survive the harsh winter.

It seemed as if a billion hours had passed and Acsan still hadn't found her father or the truck.Fortunatly, she did find the road and decided to walk down it, playing with a twig and humming.

'Stupid Tsume, stupid Hige, stupid wolves, stupid truck, stupid father getting lost, stupid winter, stupid snow.' She thought.

Acsan tripped over a rock and scratched her knee. She growled.

"Stupid rock!" Her voice echoed across the white and lonely land.

While on the ground, she blinked with innocence seeing the unbelievable.

"Huh?...Tire tracks?"

She stood up and noticed they led in the direction towards the city.

"He…he left me!" She screamed in disbelief.

After screaming and cursing at the sky, she noticed something else. There was a note poorly nailed against a fence post. It read in horrible handwriting that most likely belonged to her father:

_Dear Acsan,_

_That truck is-well this truck is-you know our….well my truck is running. I waited for you but got tired… and hungry. Went into town for bullets, men, and food._

_Queete'_

"Stupid man can't even spell his name right." She crumbled up the paper and threw it like a baseball player.

She decided it would be best to find shelter that was less than 50 miles away. The only people that could help her were the wolves. And after fighting with herself, she decided it was best to apologize and ask for help.

As she finally reached the top of the hill, she screamed in disbelief yet again. She fell to knees and held her hand, shouting to the sky.

"I CAN'T BEILEVE THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME!"

The wolves were gone.

**(No matter how independent you are, you still need someone at your side. Physically or not.)**


	10. Make the pain go away Part 3

**Chapter 10 **

**Make the pain go away Part3**

The sky was a purlish-white.The winds whistled and swirled dead leaves in the air at a rapid pace. It bit and frosted anything that was unsheltered, such as wolves, perhaps.

Toboe trotted through the snow, occasionally looking back at the gray and brown wolves, which sadly still haven't finished their dispute. He then looked in front of him, seeing a majestic wolf with beautiful white fur that matched the snow all most perfectly. He called out to the animal.

"Kiba!" The rushing wind made him elevate his voice. "KIBA!"

Kiba turned around about halfway with a sort of impatient look on his face. Toboe hesitated at first, but manage to get his message across.

"I think we should stop, the wind is getting stronger. I think you're right, there is going to be a storm!"

Toboe ran up to the silent wolf wanting and waiting for an answer. But he said nothing, Kiba just turned back around and continued his fast pace stride.

The 4 wolves continued their walk which, little did they know, led them right into the storm. The storm turned out to be a blizzard. Every now and then, someone would slip or get snow into their face. Hige, sadly, was the last to receive the hint that maybe he should turn his head against the insensitive current of air and keep going.

Kiba, who was silent the whole horrible time, made a miraculous decision. He turned around and shouted.

"We can rest over there!" He pointed to a junkyard.

Surely they were not out in the middle of nowhere anymore if there was a junkyard. Now in this time of age, compost would be near a city…or in it, but there wasn't a city here and probably wouldn't be one for 10 more miles.

They all reached the junkyard's gates with the sign that read:

"Beware of Dog"

In big white bold letters.

It was obvious that there was no dog and Tsume was the first to ignore the sign and jump over the barred-wired fence, followed by Kiba, then Hige and finally Toboe.

They each sat in a seat on a wheel-less bus. It was rusted due to time, the way it was built, and the weather. The forest green plastic seats were filled with holes here and there, but it was better than nothing.Lastly, the best part of the bus was that all but one window was not broken and kept the cold wind out perfectly.

Toboe leaned against the window, breathing on it and making happy faces.Hige sat at the driver's seat with his feet resting on the dashboard, he was fast asleep.Kiba and Tsume took two seats in the very back of the bus and said nothing to one another. They passed a few glances but stared into space listening to the blustery weather before drifting off to another world.

(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)(o)

Acsan sat in the snow holding herself and shivering feriously.She has now been out in the cold for 3 hours and the storm had already came upon her. Feeling alone, sick, and confused, Acsan decided not to move and just wait for someone to come by…someone.

(o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o)

"Okay evurone…one more tiiime." Quent hiccupped.

He sat on a bar stool and sang different songs with other men and a few women. They were all drunk and celebrating for no good reason. When it was over, everyone went back to his or her seats and continued separate conversations and consumption.

A man about Quent's age came up to him and gave him a friendly slap on the back. He sat next to him and began to talk. They laughed and judged different women in the bar.

"Speaking of malnourished, where is your daughter, uh, Acsan?"

"Oh that kid. Probably out there playin' with her wolves."

"Her wolves!" The man sounded surprised.

"Yeah, Acsan likes to protect em'" Quent took a drink. "One of em' even has a crush on her."

"A wolf having a crush on your daughter? That's some serious crap right there."

"Yeah but those wolves are different. They're smart. Too smart. And fast too. Remember those men who went out to kill some wolves?"

"Yeah, haven't heard from them."

"They're dead….. ...And were all killed by two of those damned wolves."

"Shoot." The man sank in his chair. "Well I'll be darned…..So is your daughter still out there? You must be worried."

"Pft.No.Acsan is a strong gal. She'll show those wolves what's what."

"But Quent she's still young, don't you think she could use a little back up?"

Quent took another drink of whiskey. "I don't tell you how to run your family, so don't try to run mine." He said drunkenly.

(o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o) (o)

The sky was now completely dark and the blizzard was gone. The bus in the junkyard was empty and a trail of wolf prints rested freshly in the slushy snow. They led out of the junkyard and onto a black tar road. The air was dry and crisp. And the full moon was the land's night-light.

Kiba and the others glanced up at the pale blue orb with absolute admiration.

"It's so beautiful." Hige whispered.

The pack was now at a calm walking pace. They wanted to enjoy this special sight a bit longer.

Toboe's eyes eased. "I wonder if Acsan and her father's okay." He said softly.

Tsume grunted and looked back at the moon. The last thing he wanted to hear right now was the talk of that foolish human girl.

There was a long silence until Hige spoke.

"I'm sure…I'm sure she and her father are okay."

"That storm must have been horrific for them."

Hige smiled fakely. "Yeah, but Acsan's a pretty-" He looked at his feet. "A pretty amazing girl. She'll be alright.I just know it."

Kiba was able to tell something was troubling the brown wolf but didn't ask. It probably would open up old wounds. Speaking of old wounds.

"Hige?"

"Hm."

"How's your arm?"

"Oh! I forgot about that." Toboe said.

Hige held his arm. "It's alright." He sounded as blank as Kiba.

Toboe looked at Tsume then Hige. "Hige, is something the matter?"

"Mm.Mm." He walked faster till he was far in front of the pack.

Toboe stared with curiosity.

"He's thinking about that girl again."Tsume growled.

"Oh."

"Damn it, why could he have fallen in love with a wolf?" Tsume complained.

"Maybe because he hasn't found the right wolf yet."

"So he picks a human? That sounds like a load of crap."

"It's not that bad." Toboe quietly protested.

"Well, don't you start falling for some ignorant human girl either." He ordered.

"And what if I do?"

"Look Toboe, all I'm saying is humans and wolves don't mix. Things are just no suppose to work that way."

"Think of it this way Toboe-" Kiba inserted. "What if Hige and Acsan fell in love and wanted to have pups?"

Toboe thought about it, partly blushing.

"They couldn't could they?...No. And that's because nature won't allow it."

"Neither will I. And Kiba is probably with me on this one." Tsume put his hands behind his head.

Kiba nodded in agreement and continued to talk about Hige's love life. But what they didn't know was that Hige heard every word they had said and was still saying. This ticked him off yet he decided not to explode just yet.Instead, he eased himself by thinking about his forbidden love, Acsan.

Acsan lay in the snow shivering even more than before. Her fingers, lips and face were both pale and purple. She wanted to cry but her eyes were completely dry and her body was stiff. She began to regret what she said to Tsume and started to think about Hige.She smiled remembering how funny he was and how soft and kind his eyes were.Why, just the sound of his voice made her feel peaceful.

The sound of crunching snow came closer and closer to her. The image of aolder man much like her father,appeared to her but it was hazy.

"Hey,youokay,kid?" His voice was husky.

Acsan tried to answer while getting up when everything went black.

**("Even when no one's around, when you're in the darkest location, I will be your shelter."-A note I received from a boy I don't even know)**


	11. Bonds

**Chapter 11 **

**Bonds**

As she opened her eyes, Acsan woke up to the smell of lemons and honey. She was lying in a cozy cotton bed, colored in white and light blue. She looked around the room, seeing how everything was made out of wood. A bedroom, that's where she was, in a bedroom, that was equipped with a fireplace. It cracked, popped and glen a mixer of bright oranges and deep reds.

"It's nice to see you're awake." A masculine voice made her jumped a little.

There in the doorway stood a tall young man around her age with smoky blue eyes and golden blond hair. His face was filled with a rough innocence and he was smiling. He was holding a cup filled with tea that smelled wonderful.

'So that's where that smell came from.' She thought.

The boy took a step closer.

"How are you feeling?"

Acsan said nothing. She glanced back at the fireplace and noticed an outfit hanging over it. The clothes looked identical to hers. She lifted the blanket and saw that she was partially…**NAKED**!

"D-Did you take off my clothes!" She freaked at the thought of a grown man looking at her body.

"Yes I did. When I found you, you were covered in snow soak and wet. I didn't want you to freeze in those clothes."

"Oh…thank you, I guess."

"I'm sorry I should have given you mine. There a little big but-"

"Thank you, really."

The man gave her the cup of tea and went into a dresser, pulling out a shirt, warm up pants, and a pair of socks. He sat on the bed with her as she sipped her tea.

"So what is your name?"

"Acsan and you are?" She held out her hand to shake his.

"Acsan eh? You would happen to be Quent's daughter would ya?"

Acsan nearly choked on her tea. "Y-yes! Do you know where he is? Better yet, do you know where I am?"

"Sure." The man stood up and leaned against the dresser. "You're back in town. You've been asleep for about a day or so."

"A day or so?" Acsan repeated. She looked down at her teacup and rubbed the sides with her thumbs.

"You're lucky ya know."

"Huh?" She lifted her head to him.

"If I hadn't of seen you, the Grim Reaper would of taken you last night. Or even worse, them wolves could of gotten ya." He chuckled rubbing the back of his head. "Yes sir, you sure are a peace of luck."

Acsan listened to the man and strangely became bored. "Uh, not to ruin the moment or anything but I would really like to get dressed now. Just the thought of you seeing me undressed is creeping me out."

The man stared at her questionably before realizing what she meant. "Oh sure, sure.See ya in a bit." He walked out closing the door behind him.

Acsan wasted no time getting dressed. She was thankful the man left her undergarments on. The pants were baggy, cozy and slid to her hips many inches below her naval but the shirt covered her stomach as well as pretty much any other part of her that was considered private.

Now fully dressed, she finished her tea and opened the door, deciding to do a little exploring. The building was actually an inn, but a very large one. She was on the second floor and counted 36 bedrooms just on her side of the foundation.

As she stepped down the wooden stairs the sound of laughing and music was heard.

"What the hell is going on down here?" She whispered to herself.

After reaching the first floor, Acsan took a look around the place.

Men. Older men around their 30's, 40's, and possibly 50's stood or sat drinking, laughing and flirting all across the lounging area.

The women, who Acsan guessed were the waitresses due to their erotic uniforms, looked around their 20's and possibly younger. Many of the women seemed to be mere girls.

"This doesn't seem right." She spoke to herself.

A long muscle hairy arm draped over her shoulder. "Acsan, glad to see you could make it down."

It was the man from earlier.Acsan lifted the man's arm off of her as if it was infected. "Why the hell did you bring me here?" She asked irritated.

"What's the problem? It's just an inn."

"An inn? Do you think I'm an idiot? The drinks, the music, the girls, their outfits, not to mention that smell! This is a whore house!" Her voice echoed across the room. The music stopped and every eye in the place was on her.

Acsan looked around her nervously seeing some of the men looking her over curiously.

She watched as a man surrounded by at least 7 girls stand up and walk towards her. He bent down to her level, his face inches from hers.

"Well now. Who's this? I don't believe I've seen you around here before."

"Well that's kind of funny considering the fact that I don't look like a whore." Acsan's smile was full of sarcasm.

The tall broadly man laughed. "Good job Brian. You finally fine me a woman with a bit of fire in her."

He patted her rescuers shoulder before turning back to her and grabbing her chin.

"I like em' naughty."

With disgust and uncomfortable feelings on the raise, Acsan did the one good thing Quent ever taught her when it came to times like this.

And with the grace of God, or whoever was watching over her, Acsan delivered a swift kick to the man's shin before running off like a coward.

The large man fell to his knees gripping the table next to him. Judging by the loud cracking of the wooden table, the man was in immense pain but was...smiling.

"That-that-bitch." He chuckled. For some reason, feisty woman always excited him.

He was sure to see her again.

Outside, Acsan leaped over trash cans and trampled through the sludge it created praying that the men that pursued her would lose her trail.

"Don't get caught! Don't get caught!" She repeated to herself. Why did this have to happen to her? She could have been at home reading the newspaper by the fire but no.

Instead, she was being chased by a bunch of horny old men. Today was defiantly not her day. And the only person she could blame this on was her father.

"I'm gonna kill him!" She snapped as the chilling wind bit at her now rosy lips.

It was starting to snow and tiny little crystal stuck to her face and tangled in her red hair. She sighed heavily finding the main street and seeing a nearly even amount of men and women.

She was safe.

Walking down the sidewalk, she stopped and leaned against the window of a familiar bar to catch her breath.

The sound of singing caused her to lift her head. Sure enough there inside the bar sat her father, drunk and loud as ever.

"You know wat, mizz?" Quent slurred to the young bartender in front of him.

"I think-I think you're really-really...fat.OW!"

The bartender graced him with a slap across the face before walking away with a frown.

The man sitting next to him patted Quent with pity.

"That's okay man,I tried that same line on er yesterda." He was equally drunk or possibly worse.

"Perhaps, ye want me ta dr-drive ya hoom,Quent."

"Nah,yah to drunk."

"Hey!I'm not as think as you drunk I am."

"DAD!"

The man sitting next to Quent fell off his bar stool and hit the floor with a thug.

"Q-Quent,ya daughter's here."

"Oh..Great." Quent slowly turned around in his chair as his intoxication started to leave him.

He watched his red-haired daughter stomped towards him completely ignoring the people in her way.

Quent rubbed his forehead. "Oh geez, here we go."

"Where the hell were you?"

"I thought you were gonna deal with those wolves for me."

"Deal with them? You never told me to do that! You told me to watch them...wait..no.Actually, you didn't tell me to do anything. You just gave me the gun." Acsan tapped her chin trying to remember.

"Well,you should of taken care of em'."

"Don't change the subject."

"Those wolves are still alive aren't they?"

"Well ya,but-"

"Why didn't you kill em'?"

"That's not the point!"

"I gave you a gun."

"I fainted, damnit!"

Quent held his face and sighed in frustration. "If only your brother was still alive. He would have had those wolves killed a long time ago."

Acsan's eyes widened. They started to water as she grabbed on her father's arms tightly.

"Don't you ever compare me to your dead son. For now on; I'm the only one you have. So get off your lazy ass and start acting like a father."

Quent stared at his daughter blankly. His eyes were tired as well as the rest of his old body. He rested an arm on her shoulder.

"Come on, kid.Let's get your old man home before he gets ya into even more trouble."

Acsan raised her eyebrows in surprise as she helped her father out the door.

* * *

Hige sat outside on a boulder watching the crescent moon. His reflection rippled in the lake below him. The vision of Acsan flowed through his mind over and over again. 

'Damn it Acsan' He thought as the wind rustled his clothes. "Why are you still on my mind?"

Perhaps he shouldn't have left her alone.

**(As the world keeps decaying, hold on to the one's you love.)**


	12. Fate Thy name is Acsan

**Chapter 12**

**Fate? ****Thy name is Acsan**

It's been about three months since I've seen Hige and his friends or any wolves for that matter. The town has begun to weaken as the season of winter worsens. Food has become scarce as the population strangely increases.

The townspeople are starting to panic and form a riot. The other day, my father and a group of men set out to inform the major of the tragedies the town is facing.

But unfortunately, there was no reason to complain seeing as the major had died two weeks before and was left to rot in his office.

Gasoline is becoming harder to buy all of a sudden. Mr. Morgan's usual price was now five times the amount.

Some of the men today, including my spontaneously responsible father, have decided to set out and hunt for rabbits, squirrels, or anything that was stupid enough to be out in this cold weather.

Hope was nowhere.

Looking out the window, couldn't even relax me like it use to. A few people roamed the streets. Huddling over fire barrels or just sitting on the curb conversing.

Two kids, about 7 or 8, threw snowballs at even other. It was nice to see they were looking on the bright side of things.

I leaned against the wall turning away from the window and looked up at the ceiling. "God help us."

The sudden knock at the door startled me.

"What?" I asked lazily.

"Acsan, it's me, open up!" It was my father. He sounded sick. Which should be obvious, I know.

He was covered in snow. It frosted his shoulders and upper lip. His faithful gun was at his side barely held up by his trembling fingers.

"All that traveling for nothing? Dad, the things you get yourself into."

"Yeah sure. We have anything to eat?" He shuffled inside and plopped on the chair closest to the fireplace. His gun hit the wood floor with a clank.

"Um, we have some beans and that soup from yesterday."

He pulled out a whiskey bottle from his coat pocket. "That soup taste like crap."

I chuckled softly. "I know. I'm not that good of a cook to begin with."

He joined in my laughter. "Well that's one thing you didn't inherit from your mother."

I stopped laughing and sat on the floor in front of him. "So I take it you didn't find anything out there, huh?"

"Nah." He sighed taking a gulp. "The land out there is drier than your old man's shorts after your mother died." He chuckled a little.

I made a face and turned away. "Great analogy, Dad. So there was nothing?"

"Well, the some of the other men said they saw a few dogs or wolves on the horizon."

"Hm.That sounds logical. Wolves can survive a lot longer than humans can. It's rather amazing."

Quent grumbled. "Amazing? There is nothing amazing about some wolf. They're nothing but dogs of hell."

I looked up at him and then the floor. "Perhaps-"

A knock at the door interrupted our conversation. I stood up and walked to the door.

It was Miss Dean, the town shoemaker's wife. I hadn't seen her in 7 years and boy did time take its toll on her. Even though her face was severely wrinkled, it held a sort of energy to it but I don't think it was positive.

"Miss Dean? What's brings you here?"

"Oh, Acsan? Is that you? My goodness, you look more and more like your mother ever time I see you."

I raised an eyebrow and ignored her remark. "Are you looking for my dad?"

"Actually I was wondering if you could take a look at my son."

"Your son?" Since when did she have a son?

"Yes, he has been terribly ill ever since he and your father went hunting."

I leaned against the doorpost folding my arms. "I see and you want me to take a look at him?"

"Oh yes, if you could be so kind." She looked so hopeful.

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Isn't there a hospital around here?"

"ACSAN! QUIT BEING AN ASS AND GO HELP THE WOMAN!" Quent yelled from behind.

"Fine." I sighed as Miss Dean led the way.

As we walked down the snow-covered bricked road, the sight and smell of death had spread it's manifestation across the town. Adults lay in the streets blowing into their fists and attempting to warm up against the very little fire they had.

I shoved my hand in my pants pockets. "Damn…doesn't anyone live in their houses anymore?"

"It doesn't make a difference, does it?" Miss Dean overheard me. She caught my questionable gaze before continuing her fast-paced walk. "That's quite the mouth you got on you. For a young lady that is. And come to think of it, never once have I seen you in a dress-"

Blah...Blah...Blah.Why do old hags have to be the ones to analyze everything? We reached the old eroded white house that was own my The Deans. The once green shutters were now pale and vine infested and the paint was starting to peel off.

The inside of the house wasn't too pretty either. There was a hole the size of a cow located right above us, letting in the fallen snow. The air was thick and dusty making it hard to breathe and see.

I flinched hearing footsteps and seeing a familiar man appear before us.

"Mr. Dean?"

"No dear, he died ages ago. This is Mr.Berrison, the town doctor."

The tall man shook my hand smiling….cutely. I know weird right?

"Why Mrs. Dean, who may I ask is this lovely exemplar of a goddess?" He smirked before kissing my hand.

"Oh! This is Acsan. You know, Quent's daughter? I have brought her to see if there is anything to be done about-"

"Michael." The man finished her sentence turning his attention away from me. "I meant to tell you this earlier but you had already left. Come this way please."

Mrs. Dean gave me a hesitant look before ordering me to wait for her to return. I agreed and sat on the window sill to the left of the front door.

It wasn't long before screeches of shock and dread were heard. I hopped off the sill and ran towards Mrs.Dean's voice.There, in the bedroom, I witnessed her sitting on a small bed embracing a boy around my age.

His pale handsome face lay in the valley of her chest motionless.Mr.Berrison stood with his back to her looking out the window. He didn't seem at all troubled by the gloomy scene. It started to worry me.

His dark blue eyes connected with mine when I stepped into the room.

"Miss Acsan." His voice sparked with interest.

"Mr.Berrison." I evaded his gaze and sat next to Mrs. Dean. "I'm so sorry." I whispered feeling her sadness flash through me like empathy.

"I will call for the morticians." Mr.Berrison left the room silently giving me on more glaze before disappearing completely.

I turned back to Mrs. Dean who sat sobbing and rocking her dead son back and forth.

"Mrs. Dean?"

"Please…leave me be." She croaked.

I searched my mind for a reason to not leave her but failed. "Yes ma'am." I nodded and left the room.

Exiting the house, I sniffed lifting my head to the sky which was still a large white blanket but at it wasn't snowing.

"Quite the unpredictable weather we are having." A smooth velvety voice remarked.

There, on the porch, stood Mr.Berrison dressed in a long beige coat and black sunglasses. I stared at him possibly with an unreadable look on my face.

He smirked seeing that I wasn't smiling or replying. He slid his sunglasses somewhat off, just enough to exposure his mysterious eyes.

"You're not much of a talker are you?"

"No. And I suppose you're not much of a doctor, are you Mr.Berrison?"

His slightly surprised expression seemed to fade away as quickly as it came. "Why do I get the impression that you don't like me, Miss Acsan?"

Where have I seen this man before? At the bar? No. In the country? No. Then it hit me.

"I know you! You're that drunken guy back at the bar who was drinking with my father!"

"Then that must mean you saw the unattractive side of me.Oh my, please forgive me, Miss Acsan." He bowed before me. "Please allow me to walk you home. Call it a plead for your undeniable forgiveness."

His perky accent tainted my ears as I began to walk away slowly keeping aware of his presence. "Forget it."

Call me paranoid but I just think a real doctor would show at least a tiny bit of pain after losing a patient. At least.

When I felt his eyes no longer on me, I began to relax but I soon found out there was no reason to. Entering deeper into familiar territory, the streets were now aligned with people. Young and old.

Large black tanks, machinery and automobiles filled the streets with its mass, polluting aroma and maddening rumble.Soliders and snipers dressed in black and gray and fully armed stormed the streets. A few pushed me out of there way while shouting offensive and sexist dialects.

My heart paced remembering what happened the last time they came here. Why are the here, again? Death was certainly knocking on our town doors, guranteed.

I ran over to my father who was cursing as they drove alone.

"Dad! Dad!" He was starting make a scene.

"What!"

"Dad, what's going on? Why are they here?"

"I don't know but if this has to do with taxes-"

I rolled my eyes. This wasn't the work of the government it just couldn't be.

Moments later the entire town was searched and forced to all gather in the main town square. Here was where the major roads past through and intersected with others.

A raised podium was placed in front of a copper stallion fountain and a short but well-built man stepped up followed by two armed men.

He cleared his throat as his security positioned themselves.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, people of New Hope. I bring you news of both positive and negative consequences."

"AW SHUT UP!" shouted an old man.

"WE DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!" shouted a woman.

"Silence! Silence all of you!"

"YOU JUST CAME HERE TO CAUSE US EVEN MORE PAIN!" A voice called out from behind me.

"GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM! YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE!" called another.

The townspeople exploded into an uproar shouting, cursing, and even throwing rocks at the soldiers who stood around them. It was only when the speaker gave a signal to fire was when everyone became quiet.

Women screamed and children cried as the repeating sound of gunshots filled the air.

"Jesus Christ!" A man whispered beside me looking behind him.

I turned as well and gasped seeing four people, 3 women and 1 old man, lay dead on the cold concrete ground.

"Monsters, they're all monsters." My father stated to himself.

The crowd had formed a quiet ring around them. Some turned their heads, some cried and some just stared. The wind started to pick up and it started to snow softly again.

Several flakes landed in my hair that shadowed parts of my face. I looked back at the speaker as he attempted to finish his speech.

"Now that I have your attention. We have heard that this town is a possible breeding ground for…wolves." The word 'wolves' seemed to irritate him. "Since we already capture one of the little demons, we have taken the liberty of seizing authority over this filthy little town and judging from what my sources have told me, I think we're going to like it here."

A black cage, no higher than a meter, lay near me with what appeared to be a white wolf inside. It looked very sick and emaciated.

Quent tightened his fists and growled uneasily.

"Mommy, what's gonna happen to us?" A little boy asked in the distance.

That is a good question. What is gonna happen to us?

* * *

Bloody and beaten, Kiba laid chained against the cold metal confinements of his prison chain gasping for oxygen. His memory was hazy and it hurt to think. 

His once silky white fur was now ripped, reddened and stuck out in different angles. His normal healthy muscular appearance had withered away.

A bowl of water located in the corner held no purpose, seeing as his couldn't reach it.

Looking to his left, he watched people shout at the man who captured him. He wished to know what was going on but was far too weak to understand.

As his golden eyes scanned the crowd of people, one person stood out.

"A-acsan."

His body began to tense as she came closer not knowing what she was going to do. The red-haired girl gripped the bars and whispered.

"Kiba?"

His eyes widened realizing who she was.

"Acsan."


	13. To Escape

**Chapter 13**

**To Escape**

**A/N: Due to Hurricane Rita and others strange events this chapter is late.**

**Due to my laziness, you will notice Kiba's physical appearance changing without me saying so.**

It's cold.

So cold.

Even if I am indeed a wolf, my tangled and bloody fur was making no use of it's self.

It hurt to breath; it hurt to move and most defiantly hurt to think. All I could do was listen. Listen to the shouts and screams of humans. Listen to the gunshot waves echoing in my ears. Listen to the sweet angelic voice of a familiar creature.

Acsan.

Sweet yet bitter.

Unforgettable yet supposedly forgotten.

To speak of her name strangely eased me to the point were I whimpered as she reached for me.

Her soft peach –colored hand was surprisingly warm and soothed for reasons I know nothing of. She pulled away wincing as she examined her now stained hand. It was covered in my blood, a dark crimson nowhere near the same shade as her hair.

"Oh Kiba, what the hell did they do to you?" She asked still looking at her tainted hand.

I wanted to answer her question but failed. Another reassuring hand came down and rested upon my head. She looked at me, leaning against the cage bars, with sorrowful eyes. I knew she felt pity for me, I could smell it.

Speaking of smells, Acsan's scent carried by the Northern wind fluttered through the cage and embraced my nose forcing me to whimper yet again. Strangely, the need to get closer to her was evident. Her warmth, her smell, I felt protected. I felt she, the human, was my shelter!

It was….overwhelming.

I suppressed my excitement and focused on what she was assumingly doing, trying to open the cage. The lock had rusted and was easily broken off with a swift kick from her boots.

Due to the massive argument happening about 30 meters away from us, I knew no guards would be able to possibly hear Acsan's clattering. And yet, I was still slightly nervous.

I slowly lifted my head as the cage door slowly screeched open.Acsan's slender body slid effortlessly half way into the cage. She fumbled with the chain around my neck cursing at it to come off….and it did.

I must have grown accustom to the weight and stiffness of the chains because when they came off, it was like Acsan had freed my body of a literally heavy burden. I was able to sit up a little. I gripped the metal bars for support inhaling properly now.

"How do you feel?"

"Why are you helping me?" My voice was very hoarse.

She laughed a little. "Gee, answer a question with a question. Great way to start a conversation, Kiba."

I motioned for her to move out of the way as we crawled out of the cage. She stood up and watched me stretch, possibly waiting for me to respond.

"Well?"

"Hm?" I looked over my shoulder at her.

"What are you going to do now?"

I sighed and looked back at the crowd of people then back over my shoulder at her. "Where's the fastest way out of here?"

Her face lightened up in a shocked manner as she took a few steps closer to me. "Wait a minute,you're leaving?"

"Yes."

"But-but you can't.Kiba you're hurt."

I cleared my throat and turned my head. Her scent was getting to me again.

"It's not as bad as it looks."

She stepped in front of me forcing me to look at her. "Not as bad as it looks? Kiba, you look like you went through a meat-grinder."

Although she showed extreme concern, she didn't raise her voice at me. It was just stern. I pushed passed her in an attempt to blend in with the crowd and disappear out of her sight but I came to no avail.

Unfortunately, I was blocked by two well-built soldiers dressed in black armor pointed their guns at us.

"Hey kid, this is a restricted area." said the first soldier.

"Get back with the group!" shouted the second. "And take your girlfriend with you!"

I supposed they were talking about Acsan who looked as blank-faced as I must have been.

"Yes,sir." Acsan mumbled sarcastically.

Not even 10 seconds later, I could hear the two soldiers shouting out their findings. Of course, this being the fact that I wasn't in my cage.

"Hey! Somebody stop those kids!" They ordered in unison.

"Especially the boy, he's really a wolf!" shouted a man standing on a platform.

Goodness! Humans and their stupid automatic suspicions. My anxiety was getting the best of me and as soon as I heard those guns heating up that was it.

The sky seemed to rain thousands upon thousands of bullets, lasers and strangely a few rocks. It became a game to see how many men would fall under my superior distinction. Many of the townspeople ran in fear leaving clear shots for my attackers.

All the wonderful experiences from the past were flooding back into my veins ever so quickly. It was a brutal ecstasy I'm afraid to say. The incident became was tremendously intense that I didn't even notice I had assistance.

Three familiar blurs. Auburn, Gray and Beige ran past me in all directions taking down the attackers I may have missed or had not seen. Their scents, the way they pursued their prey, oh yes, I knew who they were.

The rain of assault stopped as rapidly as it started. I hunched over out of breath with a sharp pain in my side. Perhaps I was slightly injured.

I listened to the sounds of footsteps crunching through the snow getting closer. There was no need to move seeing as I already knew who they belonged to.

"Kiba!"

Toboe rushed to my side asking me a billion questions about my well-being. It amused me because he was just as scratched up as I appeared.

Tsume and Hige soon joined us afterward asking me the same question except Tsume had a new one.

"How did you escape?"

I kept my gaze at the snowy earth below me. I didn't want to mention my resucer.Drama was something I couldn't handle.

The four of us lifted our heads hearing snow crunching.Acsan walked causally in our direction looking at the dead soldiers she passed. I looked beyond her, thankfully, her father wasn't there.

Hige stood next to me in awe at the sight before him. I had forgotten he still was attracted to her but was she? Well it seems I'm going to find out.

**A/N:I know,I know bad chapter but I'm sorry there's far too much going on in my state to do any writing.So Sorry. Bye now.**


	14. A Raging Storm? Or an Enraged Girl?

**Chapter 14**

**A Raging Storm? Or an Enraged Girl?**

Acsan stood in front of us with an unreadable expression which strangely made the wolves, except Tsume, nervous.Herself, as a whole, was not indeed a threat but the ever blank glaze she gave Kiba's pack scared them half to death.

Hige noticeably sprung in front of the white wolf, humming with excitement. Knowing for a fact it had been a long time since he's seen her, Kiba couldn't help but wonder what was actually going through the girl's mind. As soon as he spoke to her, the rest of the pack immediately noticed the cold and dark glare of hatred that slowly spilled across her face.

Acsan was fuming.

Her glossy red hair, damped by the evening's snowflakes, stuck to her lips as she spoke. The darkening sky seemed to highlight the ungodly thoughts raced through her cranium.

Hige bounced like a child singing his beloved's name as he approached her.

"Ac-san! Ac-san!" Hige walked over to her keeping his hands behind his back and grinning widely.

"Hello Hige, it's very nice to see you again." The girl tilted her head and smiled warmly. Warmth everyone but Hige knew was really nonexistent.

"Hige." Kiba warned in a low steadied voice.

Tsume stood next to the suspicious boy and chuckled softly.He, too, had noticed Acsan was only acting. It was a pity only they truly knew Acsan the best.

"So how ya been, Acsan.It's really been such a long time."

"It has." Acsan's bland words went through one ear and out the other.Hige didn't notice a thing.

The wind started to pick up and the temperature dropped plenty signifying the coming of a blizzard. The human girl shuddered slightly feeling the frosty breeze slither across her neck.

Hige raised his eyebrows with interest. "Hey,what's wrong? Are you cold?" He reached out to touch her face only to have it smacked away.

"God you're dense! I don't even see the reason why I liked you in the first place!" Acsan shouted so brutally at Hige it made Toboe step back in disbelief.

Hige stood quietly in front of her with his head down ashamed he had forgotten the abandonment he placed on her in the past. Certainly she would forgive me if he explained properly, right?

"Acsan I-"

"Did I say you could talk?" Acsan walked past the brown wolf completely brushing him off and stepped up to Kiba who was unknowingly starting to feel a little threatened by the angry girl.

"Kiba, I want you to leave. You've had your little reunion."

Kiba didn't say a word only a small growl bellowed in his throat.Tsume did the same calling for Toboe to follow him. He gave no farewells to the human only turned and walked away.

Hige watched the others pass him by wondering why no one was saying anything to her.

"Go on Hige." Acsan mumbled causing the boy to turn around and seem desperate before her. He didn't want to leave her. Not now, not ever.

"Acsan,if this is about the past, it wasn't my fault."

"It wasn't your fault!" Her questioning was sarcastic. "Leaving me alone in the snow knowing and I know you knew, that I couldn't survive! That wasn't you fault!"

"Acsan-"

"I'm a human, Hige! How long do you think I could survive in subzero weather?"

"But the guys-" Hige gestured to his friends.

"They have no control over you!"

"Acsan, let me explain!"

"Hige! Come on, I think there's a bad storm coming. We better get going!" Toboe called out only yards away.

"Wait!" Hige turned his attention back to the girl. "Acsan, I don't know what else to say. If I had a choice then I would have chosen to stay with you that day but I couldn't. I wasn't"

"Thinking? Yeah, that's right. You weren't thinking at all!"

"Acsan."

"You were probably thinking out of your ass!"

"Acsan."

"That God a person as stupid and selfish as you came into my life.Oh, how I couldn't survive without you." Her sarcasm was stabbing and shredding the boy's heart. If it was not for the snowy wind, Acsan would surely see the tears that were starting to emerge.

"I'm sorry. Really I am! You are the most beautiful amazing girl on the face of the planet. I loved the fantastic feelings you inflict on me and so many other wonderful things that make me feel so good. I don't want you to hate me. I want you to love me again! I didn't mean for things to get so bad. I never wanted it this way! I just forgot that's all."

Acsan's widened eyes softened and then closed. A few chuckles escaped her pink lips and soon they carried on chains of loud merriment. But was it fake?

Ascan shook her head gazing at the snowy ground. "You forgot. That's basically what you're saying?"

Hige's eyes shifted carefully. "Yes."

He watched the human girl raised her finger. She winked. "Not good enough, Hige." She smirked and giggled vaguely.

"What?"

The two stared at each other for the longest time; one smirking and the other with a questionable look on his visage. The two averted their eyes to the sound of an old raspy voice in the distance belonging to no one other than Acsan's father.

The wind's velocity increased making it hard to speak n a normal tone.

"Looks like it's time for you to go!" Acsan shouted approaching Hige slowly.

Hige gripped the girl's shoulders softly. "I'll come back for you tomorrow!"

"What's the point? You're just going to forget?" She smirked with mockery.

Hige sighed with frustration and shook her controllably. "Will you stop acting like that! I serious about being with you! I'll be back tomorrow an don't try to run cause I'll just hunt you down!"

"Of course you will!" Acsan ridiculed again.

Hige rolled his eyes and pulled Acsan into a passionate kiss that lasted for a good 2 minutes. He pulled away from her just enough to see her face.

Surprise. Perfect!

Hige brushed hair away from Acsan's left ear, leaned in and whispered. "I promise to come back this time."

Without any other proposition, Hige sprinted into the flying white mist disappearing before the human girl's gray eyes.

Acsan stared placing a hand on her heart. It was beating like mad.

"Hige," She sighed softly talking to herself. "You sure have a way with women."

"Acsan!" shouted Quent who was sneezing up a storm.

"Yeah Dad?" Acsan still smiling in the direction Hige ran off.

"Get back to the house!"

"Right, Dad."

When Quent approached his daughter and noticed she wasn't moving, he delivered a swift smack upon her head making her wince.

"Ow!"

"Get your butt back to the house!" He pushed her along.

"Alright! Alright! Keep your hands off me!"

"And if you catch a cold I'll kill you!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Acsan smiled holding her aching head. This may actually turn out for the better.

* * *

_So nothing to dramatic happened. Thank God._

_Hige finally showed up as we waited for him outside an old warehouse.We, meaning Tsume and I, have decided to stay in town for Hige's sake. Now I still don't believe in wolf-human courtship but I can see why Hige wanted Acsan so badly._

_But I must say, Acsan is a strange individual and I kind of like it. Does this mean I'm becoming affected by this girl too?_

_Wait, am I becoming a hypocrite?_

_**A/n:I have a full bladder,dating an Goth,water is evil,and I'm back! What more could you possibly want?** _


	15. Tempting Thoughts

**Chapter 15**

**Tempting Thoughts**

Hige sat on the post of a broken barred wire fence perched Indian style while staring into the dark sky. His messy brown hair fluttered softly in the wind switching directions momentarily. A wave of emotion crept over his visage giving him a look of supernatural insanity or delight of the sickly variety.

The others watched in worriment and suspicion feeling that Hige had indeed lost his mind. They stood like a curious statue in the grayish snow listening to the eroded warehouse moan and screech softly in the now much calmer weather.

The moon was hidden behind gloomy gray clouds the stretched like ribbons across the starry sky. Full and luminous, it was the perfect time, as Hige thought, to dream. He felt isolated but in a way that gave him peace. He had now developed the skill of tuning people out, forgetting they were speaking to him or even there. In reality, Hige wasn't actually alone and this newfound bizarre spirit of his was now free to frighten and bewilder all who was around him.

Hige was beginning to bother me with his smiles and sudden burst of laughter. I knew he was fantasizing about that forbidden object he wanted so bad to possess. That treasure of unimaginable happiness that seemed so fragile if you looked beyond its appearance.

_I could sense Hige's excitement. The lust he had for her that filled the air.Hige wasn't going insane, he was falling in love. He was falling into a deep cavern of everlasting devotion that I found myself wanting._

_The touch of her skin, the smell of her hair, the sound of her voice, all of my senses came alive when she was around. And what frustrated me was the fact that could all be experienced by one person._

_Hige.Hige didn't deserve her.** I** did!** I** would never leave her.** I** would never forget about her.** I** cared more for her than Hige could ever stir up!_

_My eyes widened at the realization of what I had been reciting in my head._

_**I** deserved Acsan? Was my heart turning black? Was I the one who was really falling in love?_

_Although It was quite windy, I could hear Toboe asking questions about Hige's strange hilarity .The husky wolf didn't even look in his direction. He was far too interested in that human girl of his.Damn it!_

_I don't exactly know what when on after we left those two, Hige and Acsan, alone but I'm pretty damn sure it wasn't a happy ending._

_Then again I could be wrong.No, I 'm right. If everything is okay between those two then why is Hige asking was odd? I mean, Hige is naturally odd but this time it's different._

_Kiba continued his steady watch over the wolf. Wondering what exactly will happen next to himself or Hige._

_

* * *

_

**Hige**

_Did I ever tell you how much I love that woman? I 'm starting to feel a little gitty.It's scary but I'll get use to it. The reason why I'm so happy is because of my 'master' plan. You see, I know for a fact that Acsan likes to play the old I'm-a-tomboy routine and don't get me wrong I like it too. I love it when she challenges me. It turns me on but I'm tired of her always getting the last laugh. Why wait till morning to see her? _

_The thought of seeing her that very moment, with the crickets chirping and the full moon shining brightly, would be the most absolute moment of true ecstasy I have been waiting so long to fulfill._

_Tonight, I'm going to make her mine… permanently._

* * *

_I watched Hige disappear into the deeper part of the city. Toboe called out to him but I think he knew it was useless.Hige was on a mission. A mission that I could sense and I didn't like it. I didn't like it at all._

_Tsume had noticed my uneasiness and smirked when we made eye contact. I growled at him and shoved my hands in my pockets. If he said anything-_

"I don't know which is worse. A horny wolf or a jealous wolf?"

_I turned around completely hearing my feet slid through the crunching snow._ "What did you just say!"

_Tsume smirked again and walked over to a leafless tree and leaned his back against it using his foot as a prop. The look his golden eyes gave me was accusing. He knew what I was thinking!_

"Don't tease me Tsume."

_Around this time, Toboe showed up in all his innocence asking why Hige ran off leaving such a funny scent behind. The wind carried it pretty well and it wasn't long until Tsume began to freak._

_His eyes twitched and his eyes widened. _"What-the-hell." _He said slowly under his breath. He looked into the distance snaring a little._

"Kiba?"_ He asked still looking into the distance._

"Yeah?"

"Hige's not gonna-"

"He may."

_Tsume blinked twice and narrowed his eyes in a suspicious expression. _"That bastard's going to get killed."

_Toboe stood in question looking at the two of us._ "Hey guys? W-what's gonna happen to Hige? What's going on?"

"Forget it, runt." _Tsume hadn't used that term in a long time._

_He past Toboe walked steadily fast. The young wolf then looked at me I guess hoping I would answer him._

_I said nothing. All that concerned me was that Hige was going to do something risky with Acsan.And that Tsume and I were the only ones who could stop him._

Steam filled the tiled bathroom of the "Quent/Acsan" household. The steady flow of hot water faintly reddened the skin of Acsan.She stared mindlessly at the shower floor with her forehead pressed against smooth ivory wall. Her scarlet hair cascaded down her back with a few strands left to stick to her cheeks.

No matter how much she cursed or shook her head violently, she couldn't get rid of the scene played earlier that evening.Hige's kiss had affected her bad. Real bad.

"Damn you Hige." It made her want to cry.

This wasn't how it was suppose to be. If a lover abandons you or leaves you for dead, you are not supposed to forgive them. It just didn't work that way. Yet Acsan found herself forgiving him, letting him in again when he didn't deserve it.

"What do I do?" She asked the bar of blue soap directly below her in a whispery voice. "I can't love him. I can't love him."

She sighed heavily and turned the water off. After a couple of drips, the bathroom became silent and only the scratching of the tree braches outside could be heard from the frosted rectangular window above the showerhead.

If only Acsan remembered that she lived around no trees for she was not in the country! But if there were no trees, then what was the scratching outside her window produce from?

Hige stood on top of wooden crates trying his best to peer through the icy window. His heart was pounding knowing that the female of his dreams was on the other side. He wanted to call out to her but that would just frighten her and make negativity.

His brain hatched an idea only to be erased by the sound of growling and crunching snow.Hige turned around slowly seeing a very aggravated white wolf.

He sighed impatiently. "Not now, Kiba. I'm busy."

"Busy? Hige I know why you're here."

"Well, that just makes you the smartest wolf on the planet, doesn't it?" He smiled falsely.

_That bastard is mocking me._ _I tried to stay calm._

"Hige, you can't do that to her."

"I think I can. You're just saying that because she's a human." _He stopped and looked at me for a moment before hoping off the crates_. "Or maybe it's something more?"

_He stepped closer to me folding his arms._ "You like her too."

_My eyes widened to his accusation. It was too late to hide it. He knew as well._

"Yes…yes I do." _It hurt to confess. Or was it just embarrassment. _

_Hige chuckled shaking his head. _"Incredible. Who would think? You of all people-"

"Just don't touch her."_ I interrupted._

"What was that? Don't touch her? Kiba, I don't think you have a say in what I do to her, buddy."

_What I do to her. I hated how that sounded. Images of Hige and Acsan together, him claiming her, tore me apart. Where did these newfound feelings for her come from?_

"Hige, she's not like us."

"I know that."

"You could kill her."

"No I wouldn't."

"What if she became pregnant?"

_Hige paused setting his eyes on the frosty sidewalk. It began to snow lightly. Flakes fluttered into his messy hair while other rested on his hoodie._

"I know you care about her safety. Wouldn't you like to see her happy?"

_Hige snapped his head up. I could see he was fighting tears._

"Acsan won't get pregnant. I know her better than that."

"Hige, you and I both know that is no one's decision."

"SHUT UP!" _He_ _took another step closer to me. We now stood face to face snarling at one another._ "Acsan belongs to **me**, Kiba, and nothing you can say or do will stop me from being with her! She is **my** property. **My** possession!" _He rested his tone of voice and eased back a bit out of my face. _

"Besides, she doesn't even like you." _That mocking smile appeared again and I wanted so bad to tear it of. _"Why are you looking at me like that Kiba? You're not planning on starting anything are you?"

_Was that a threat?_

"Don't start something you can't finish."

"Hige, this is completely insane. I don't want to fight you."

"Then go away! I don't need you here!"

"I can't do that."

_Without warning I received a sharp pain that soared across the side of my face._

"You really frustrate me you know that!" _Hige spat._

_My back hit the bricked wall behind me. I could feel blood dripping off my face and watched it penetrate into the snow._

_I straightened back up and we both prepared to launch a brutal attack upon the other.Hige was not going to have what deserved to be mine._

Now during all this shouting, a pair of observant gray eyes appeared through a square window located to the front of the house.

Blood splashed and twinkled into the night sky.Kiba and Hige growled, barked and snarled at one another biting into the other's flesh. Acsan watched the two wolves' fight with a trembling hand pressed to the window.

"What..the hell?" She whispered.

"What the devil is going on out there! Acsan? Are there wolves out there!"

**A/n :Such drama,eh? To keep ya busy,here are a few things to ponder:**

**1. Is Hige really in love with Acsan?**

**2.Will Acsan ever find out how Kiba feels for her?**

**3.Where that heck are Toboe and Tsume?**

**4. Will I ever start updating faster?**

**5. When will I ever make that other Wolf's Rain story?**

**Till next time,holla!**


	16. Emotional Selections

**Chapter 16**

**Emotional Selections**

**A/N: Yeah, this one is short too and late because of uploading issues. By the way, Jay Ficlover, your story sounds wicked cool. Thanks for the long review as well and to everyone else who has" faith" in me.**

Hige lay in the crunching snow gasping for air that was slowly escaping his lungs due to the pressure Kiba was admitting to his chest. He straddled the reckless boy's upper body with both hands on either side of Hige's head.Kiba cradled it in a pleading fashion staring deeply into the boy's russet eyes.

Blood that appeared from an unknown region on his head dripped off his forehead and tumbled onto Hige's left cheek. This accidental occurrence did not stir the wolf once.

Their breathing was now in sync; heavy and rigged as the snowfall softened.

"Hige, you and I both love Acsan."

"Duh." Hige chuckled softly in spite.

"And I understand that now but please just don't…take her." His choice of words was not as satisfying as he wanted it to be.

Hige blinked and calmly turned his head to the side. His gaze was cast until the reddened snow as he thought.

"Get off me, Kiba." His now calm nature brought great puzzlement to the other wolf. One minute Hige is fighting for his "price" and the next he's as gentle and sweet as he usually was.

Kiba signed and stood up keeping his blue eyes on the boy slowly raising before him.

What to do, what to do.

Acsan stepped outside ignoring her shouting father by slamming the down behind her. She gripped her fuzzy white blanket that held great company in giving her warmth.

She followed the faint voices that came from the alleyway beside her house.There, Kiba and Hige stood covered in ice water with their fur matted and torn with blood glistening through it like tiny garnet rivers through a dense forest.

Acsan also noticed the reddened snow around them and some near her feet.

"Hige? Kiba?"

The two raised their heads in question. They were so distracted by one an other that they didn't even notice the human girl standing there.

"Acsan." The two stated in unison; one in a breathless tone and other with surprise.

The boys both had a sudden unannounced urge to leap into the girl's arms and get lost in the pure ecstasy of her scent.

Fortunately, Hige had no reason why he had to hold back his great affections and in the blink of an eye, Acsan found herself pressed into his warm chest.

Her surprised expression softened as she listened to the wolf's soothing heartbeat. His arms wrapped perfectly around her waist sealing her within him for that glorious moment. However, this moment was only shared by these two individuals.

Kiba, weakened by the earlier fighting, leaned against the bricked wall allowing the sudden wind to glide through his dark hair in order to shield his eyes, his pain, from the affectionate couple.

He felt no tears of sadness or fits of rage, just the dreaded pit of lonely that grew steadfast in his already aching heart.

_I don't know from where these feelings have sprung and I wish I did right at this very moment. I 'm in love aren't I? And if so, is this the reason for all this pain? _

_It hurts to stand here and watch an unworthy bastard take her away from me and from her carefree way of life. Even I know when it's the right time for a human female to have a child and I know is not the time._

_I know understand that my affections will never be heard, seeing as she attention is all on him but the least I can do is protect her.Truely,Hige is not fit to be a father nor any non-human for that matter including myself._

_Basically, all I want now is for Acsan to be invulnerable.That,I guess, is all I truly want._

Sadly, Kiba was stuck in a bind of lying to himself. Deep in the back of his mind, that sudden love and affection he felt from the human girl grew and grew with even statement of denial.

"Kiba?" The troubled boy refused to lift his head, not out of stubbornness but out of the intensity of his thought.

He felt a delicate hand slowly capture and lift his chin. His blue eyes darkened by utter emptiness met with Acsan's grey orbs.

She smiled unsure of what to say and bit her lip examining Kiba's torn body.

"You were fighting."

Kiba's eyes shifted from the girl to Hige who approached Acsan from behind with another loving embrace.

The white wolf shuddered in defeat gently pulling away from the arousing texture of Acsan's skin.

"It's a little hard to explain." Kiba mumbled.

Hige watched the wolf cautiously, pressing Acsan's body closer to him. He kissed the back of her neck perhaps trying to produce jealousy. But to his surprise, the girl pulled away walked over to the quiet wolf.

"Huh? Acsan-"

"What happened between you two, Kiba? What were you fighting about?"

Kiba gave one last look at Hige before deciding to drop the subject complelty.He was going to leave it as it was but not with a stunning exit.

"It was nothing." He sighed shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. "I was just trying to protect you from a bleak future."

Hige's eyes narrowed as the white wolf walked past him avoiding threatening glare.

Acsan now stood beside Hige who placed an arm on her waist. The two watched Kiba walk slowly down the cracking sidewalk with the wind decorating his hair with elegant snowflakes.

_Kiba. You bastard._

"Protecting me from a bleak future?" Hige snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at the questioning redhead. "Hige? What was Kiba talking about?"

Hige forced on a cheerful smile. "Aw, nothin'.I'm sure it was on, I want to spend time with you for a while."

"Wait, you said you would come tomorrow."

Hige pranced a little before the girl and froze. "Well-I lied." He turned back to look at her and his smile disappeared.

Acsan was still staring in the direction Kiba had descended into.

"Hey!" The girl jumped. "I'm over here!"

"Oh, sorry.Just…thinking."

"Yeah, whatever. Now come on, I have lots of things I want to show you." He lifted Acsan onto his shoulders in a gesture only to get her attention. It worked.

_So many sweet moments to come._

Acsan laughed softly dropping her blanket onto the ground. The young lovers disappeared down the icy alleyway and deeper still into the darker parts of the city.

It wasn't long before Kiba returned having already spoken with Tsume and Toboe.He had stated he wished to "search" for Hige which we already now will not take long.

He picked up Acsan's fuzzy blanket and stared at it blankly. In addition to sniffing it, he placed it on her doorstep and disappeared down the exact alleyway.

_You thought it was over? It's over when **I **say it's over._


	17. The Meaning of Property

**Chapter 17**

**The Meaning of Property**

_I remember a time when things were crystal clear._

_So clear and simple that nothing else seemed to come to mind._

_And now…_

_Now everything is hazy and not as uncomplicated. My life, my mind, everything has turned dark and confusing._

_But I have found a path of sovereignty and I am satisfied that I will no longer be drowning in mystification._

_Or am I?_

_Hige pulled me through the alleyway laughing, as well as I, as we sprinted across freezing puddles that startled the stray cats of my city._

_We ran down the sidewalk nearly knocking into partygoers and slipping in the gray slush of the streets._

_Hige had told me that our destination would be something that I would never forget._

_I hate secrets but if he insisted that I would like it than I guess I had nothing else to loss._

_Call me crazy for actually forgiving Hige for what he did. I'm sure anyone else would have dumped his ass but I'm just far too desperate I guess._

_Come to think of it, Hige really isn't a bad guy…eh, wolf at all. He's goofy but clever which I believe attracted me to him in the first place._

_His warmth is what keeps me near him basically and I'm possibly crazy for saying that too._

_Yet, there is one thing that stills bugs me. How on earth did Kiba become so attracted to me? And why?_

_We never really talked and when we did he was always so cold and snappy with me._

_Hm._

_We stopped at an old abandoned church. I call it abandoned because no one really goes to it. I know I don't but that's a different story._

_He unlocked the door and pulled me inside grinning all the while. It was dark, musty and extremely creepy but Hige insisted it was safe._

_We walked down the alley and sat upon the church alter that was dimly lit with yellow candle._

_Hige's scarlet eyes softened as I sat next to him. We were surrounded in a crescent of flickering gold as Hige pulled me in a soft kiss._

_My hands held the sides of his head as he crawled onto my lap and straddled my legs moaning with a grin._

_We drew away from each other and pressed our forehead together while Hige rested his hands on my waist._

_The church was peacefully silent and only the sound of our light breathing and the beating of our heart were audible._

"So this was the big surprise?"

_He grinned. _"Not really."

"Then what?"

"You'll see."

_I groaned and playfully pushed him off of me. _"I hate secrets, Hige."

_Hige laughed and rolled onto his stomach propping his head up with his elbows._

"And I love you, Acsan."

_Hige's eyes seemed to be scanning my body as I glared at him. His teasing was starting to annoy me._

"Hey Hige?"

"Yes?" _He continued his scanning while biting his lower lip._

"Why were you and Kiba fighting?"

_Hige frowned and rolled his eyes. "_Why are you bringing this back up?"

"Because it bothers me knowing that you and Kiba were fighting which is especially weird seeing as you two are friends."

_Hige snorted gazed at the candlelight dancing near him. _"Kiba's no friend of mine."

This was insane.Hige was being a complete jackass. "Hige, I'm tired of repeating myself."

_Hige raised an eyebrow still turned to the candles looking at the light._

"Then quit spoiling the moment and drop it."_ His sounded blank. Just like Kiba._

"No I will not.Kiba said he was trying to protect me from a bleak future. What did he mean by a bleak future?"

_Hige sighed and sat up blowing one of the candles. _"Do you really want to know?"_ It looked as if he was talking to the smoking candle._

"Yes."

"For some reason Kiba had decided to stick his nose in my business." _He rested against the stage podium with his legs propped up._

_I continued to listen crawling closer over to him and resting against his chest. _"And?"

"And it turns out the reason why is because he has this newfound love for you."

"Really?"

"Uh.Hm."

"Why?"

"Ptf. To hell if I know."

_Something didn't make sense. It wasn't like Kiba to attack without a definite reason, right? Personally, I couldn't see Kiba lashing out over jealousy. Was Hige lying to me?_

"_So Kiba likes me and since you like me too, he attacked you?"_

"_That's right." Hige ran a few of his fingers up my arm and massaged my shoulders._

_I jumped at this act of randomosity which made him chuckle._

"Acsan?"_ He whispered with his lips ever so close to my ear._

"Yeah?"

"Let's stop talking about Kiba.There's something that I really want to tell you."

"Okay. Go on."

"T-there's a real reason why I brought you here."

"Oh?"_ I could hear the shakiness in his voice. His hands grabbed my shoulders as he slowly turned me around so that I was straddling his lap._

"I don't know how to properly word this so I'm just gonna come out and say it." _His eyes shifted from the floor to my midriff and he cleared his throat scanning his way up to my face._

_He was hesitating. What did Kiba say to Hige to make him so tense?_

_I tilted my head and leaned into him. Without warning he embraced me pressing his head into my chest.Slowly, I held him with an arm around his back and the other cradling the back of his head._

_I closed my eyes feeling hot tears dampen my shirt and hearing soft sobs echoing through the church._

"Hige?What is it?"

_Hige lifted his head and gazed at me affectionately with an ironic smile._

"Acsan."

_Perhaps I have already said this before but Hige is indeed someone special even if I can't understand him at this very moment. We leaned in and kissed briefly after allowing me to wipe away his tears._

"Hi-"

_Abruptly, I found myself breathless on the cold alter with my wrists pinned to the floor. My eyes widened seeing a grinning Hige who hovered over me on all fours and panting heavily._

"Acsan."_ He pressed his lips against the side of my neck nipping me every now and then._

_I struggled to free myself. _"Hige, wait. Y-you're hurting me."

_He stopped his romantic assault and growled playing with my hair. _"Okay Acsan you got me! You want to know the real reason why I brought you here?"

_Where were these mood -swings coming from?_

_I stood up and swallowed hard. _

"You're here because I love you. I love you so much that want to make love to you."

_I held my breath._ "W-what?"

_His eyes softened as he approached me. _"Can't you see Acsan? I'm making up for lost time. You want a guy who will be responsible and obviously lovable. I'm that kind of guy."

_A flashback suddenly began to play in my mind. I was protecting you from a bleak future. This is what Kiba meant! How could I not see it before?_

"Now I see."

_Hige raised an eyebrow and grinned. _"See what?"

"Kiba wasn't speaking nonsense. He was protecting me from you."

"Protecting you? You're making it sound like I'm the bad guy!"

"Well, you are. You're the one who wants to 'mate' with me."

_Hige threw hands arms in the air. _"Because I love you!"

"Hige, there are other ways to show you love someone."

"Yes, but there is only one way to keep that person yours forever."

_I was speechless. What on earth happened to this wolf? Was he was far gone that the only thing on his mind was mating? Or was he just insane? You think you know a guy._

"You made me this way, Acsan.You wanted a man who would stay true to his word."

_This isn't right._

"You wanted a man who would protect you."

_How did this happen so fast?_

"You wanted a man who would love to endlessly and I'm that kind of guy."_ Hige searched the floor and then looked at me gripping my hips. _"So, what happens now?"

_Have you ever felt lost?_

* * *

So empty was Kiba's heart, his very soul, as the scent of Hige disappeared with the night wind. He had been running for was seemed like hours and rested against a parked car lifting his head to the sky.

His heart pounded with a mixture of exhaustion, excitement and gloom.

He had no leads and no idea where the jewel of his heaven could be. Doubt began to sink in as the image of a goddess underneath a demon appeared. The thought of Acsan being happy also concerned him.

What if she wanted to belong to Hige? That would surely condemn him from even smelling her scent again.

BEEEP! BEEEP! BEEEP!

Kiba jumped realizing he triggered the alarm in the car he was using as a resting spot. He quickly separated from it wanting no other conflict for the night.

Though it was technically morning, the sky still held a dark hue which matched the color of Kiba's eyes that stayed glued to the snowy cracked sidewalk.

He sniffed aimlessly while shoving his hands into his pockets. The morning air fondled his dark hair which curtained his eyes giving him a murky expression and with a sigh, he finally gave up his search.

Kiba had concluded, while walking across a bridge that stretched over a snow filled bayou, that love at first sight was indeed impossible to obtain.

He stopped hearing the sound of crunching snow. It was very faint and resided below perhaps in the bayou.

He carelessly walked over to the railing looking out into the distance and gasped.

There, running desperately through the snow, was Acsan with her scarlet hair flowing behind her with a few strands blocking her visions partially.

Tripping over debris, particailly a cardboard box, she landed on her knees forcing gray snow to pelt her in the face.

She wiped it away and lifted her head seeing in the distance a pair of golden eyes staring at her.

They belonged to a white wolf that stood quietly on the bridge overhead.Acsan stood again and cleared more snow out of her face.

After lifting her head again, she saw that the familiar wolf was gone and in its place, was Kiba.

He stood with a surprised look on his face and pondered whether or not to speak let alone approach the girl.

Feeling uncomfortable, Acsan slowly behind to walk again disappearing from Kiba's sight underneath the bridge.

Kiba gasped and gripped the railing. He leaned over it a little trying not to lose the girl before him.

When he could see her not longer, he rushed over to the other side and repeated the same action.

This time Acsan did not look up at him and as his heat began to beat wildly and his breathing become heavily he shouted out the divine name that brought him so much desired contentment.

"Acsan!" His voice echoed.

The girl stopped in the snow and after a moment turned. She watched Kiba leap from the bridge.

He slowly walked towards her mentally telling himself to relax. When he reached her, his heart began to ache.

On the side of Acsan's elegant face laid a scar that was defiantly not from her previous fall. This had to be done by an even stronger force.

She shivered feeling Kiba run an ironically warm finger across her scar. It was 4 inches long and was still reddened with some blood.

Kiba was worried about what attacked her and suddenly had a good idea who inflicted it on her. But being the calm person that he was, he decided to ask her later.

"I… I've been looking for you."

"Really?"

The conversation was extremely nerve-racking as well as the moment itself.Acsan kept her eyes glued to her feet while Kiba, on the other hand, kept his gaze on her face.

"Why were you running?"

Acsan tensed and bit her lip. "Hige."

"Oh I see."

It was now Kiba's turn to tense. He really wanted to know if Acsan was still "untouched".

"You know," Acsan turned her head to the side. "You think you can trust someone when they say they love you. But in the end, you learn that love is just another word for lust."

Kiba's blue eyes widened but he remained quiet listening to Acsan's sad attempt to chuckle.

"Hige was just a waste of my time. Humans and wolves were just not meant to be; and I was just too blind to see that."

Kiba gently pulled Acsan into his arms giving her the entire warmth and secretly the love that he had.

Acsan placed a hand upon his arm. "Kiba."

"I don't want you to freeze to death."

The girl eyes suddenly filled with tears. Perhaps Kiba was someone to take in consideration. They fought and fought yet when it came down to survival, he would not let her perish.

Unbeilevable.

They stood in an embrace for a moment allowing the faint crimson hue to appear on both there faces.

"About what you said, the whole humans and wolves thing."

"Um.Hm."

"You're wrong Acsan." Kiba smiled and whispered. "Humans and Wolves are meant to be together. You just happened to meet the wrong wolf."

The girl lifted her head to meet the gaze of the mysterious boy before her. His body was outlined with the golden light of the morning sun the slowly rose behind him. He looked like a fallen angel.

Acsan pulse quickened.

"But Hige isn't that bad of a guy." She tried to convince herself more but failed.

Hige was turning in a weed while Kiba remain a brilliant white rose.

Kiba lifted Acsan into his arms and carried her to the bridge away from all the snow. He set her down allowing her to be free of his touch.

They stood side by side stealing glazing at one another and wishing for the other to say something.

Even as Acsan calmed her heart, Kiba struggled with his. Some much was still left unsaid and it was nowhere near the time from them to show.

But something had to give. Something had to emerge or Kiba would mess his chance altogether.

"Well, I better get home. My dad's probably crapping his pants trying to find me."

Kiba sighed in defeat and nodded as Acsan walked past him. He had missed his chance.

All the hopes and dreams Kiba had painted were now nothing but memories of what could have been.

But with as fate would have it, as they casually made their way down the road, a black car sped down the road and swerved out of the way which would have claimed Acsan's life if it wasn't for Kiba's reflexes.

The wind had stopped completely and all other movement seized.

The boy lay on top of her; both breathing heavily and covered with dirty snow.Acsan's face was beet red as she stared wide-eyed at the sky with a face buried in her chest.

Kiba slowly lifted his head and watched the girl's expression closely and with feeling no endangerment, slid his body higher to become face to face.

He leaned over her features intercepting her gaze with the sky and with no more control and only the fast pace of his heart leading him, he kissed her.


	18. Faded and Smeared

**Chapter 18**

**Faded and Smeared**

_As each and every snowflake falls, its exclusive design is as perfect and valiant as their love._

_That is…if love has emerged between the two._

Kiba lay in the tawny snow with his arms and legs spread as if he was beginning to make a snowflake. His lips were slightly apart involuntarily allowing winter's lips to capture.

Although they were still very soft, their warm no longer existed. They waited to be graced by perhaps another pair.

Acsan sat with a knee into her chest and her back to the motionless boy. Ever since the poignant encounter, neither had spoken.

Somewhere off in the distance, a church bell rang signaling it was officially morning. A few black birds flew dangerously overhead, nearly crashing into the couple. Sadly, they didn't move, one just kept his eyes to the sky while the other kept her eyes on the ground.

The air the rushed from the birds' wings brushed through Acsan's hair making her blink. When the flock disappeared over the skeleton trees in the distance, she spoke.

"I…I'm going home." She muttered.

Perhaps a thank you was for too much to say. Then again, there wasn't much to say at this moment.Kiba, the wolf, had kissed her and for some reason she was not taking it very well.

Logicailly, one would think this wouldn't have been a problem. The girl had kissed a wolf before but this time things felt different.

Kiba, without moving his body, looked over in her direction watching her slowly stroll away. After seeing her disappear around the corner, he turned back to the sky and sighed quietly.

"Well I hope your satisfied." said a familiar low voice not far from him.

As Kiba gazed into the bright pinkish heavens, Tsume's upside-down visage appeared before him. His amused golden eyes seemed to glow as he smirked.

Kiba's emotionless face remained as he spoke. "How much did you see?"

"Enough to make Toboe blush." The amusement that was once on Tsume's face disappeared. "I thought you said you were looking for Hige!"

Kiba didn't respond. He just continued to gaze meaninglessly into the taller boy's eyes.Toboe walked over quietly standing next to him.

Tsume blinked and narrowed his eyes completely irritated with Kiba's mood. He leaned in closer to the boy hovering over him like a dark cloud.

"Okay Kiba! I don't know what's going through that stupid head of yours but snap out of it! We're here to find Hige with you and get the hell out of here, you got that!"

Kiba closed his eyes and sat up letting the somewhat melted dirty snow run down his face and drip off his chin.

He opened his eyes and noticed a black feather stuck in the snow. He picked it up and twirled it between his fingers.

Tsume delivered an unannounced left punch to the back of Kiba's head causing the white wolf to flinch a little and drop the feather.

"Tsume!" Toboe wrapped his arms around Tsume's waistin an attempt to hold him back.

"Ever since that girl came into our lives she's been trying to screw us over! I knew she was nothing but trouble from the start." He relaxed his fists. "And after all you said, I thought you too wanted nothing to do with her. Such bullshit."

Toboe switched his gaze over to Kiba who still remained on the ground with his legs stretched out in front of him.

The boy slowly rose with his hands draped at his sides and his dark hair blowing gently in the morning breeze.

With his back to the two wolves he said, "You guys continue to search for Hige."

"A-and what are you gonna do Kiba?" Toboe asked innocently.

"Yes. What exactly are you planning on doing?" Tsume spat.

Kiba looked over his shoulder giving a warning expression. "Don't worry. I'll look for Hige as well." And with wasting no time, the white wolf sprinted down the street and into a distant alleyway.

Tsume grumbled and sprinted in a different direction with Toboe scrambling behind.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

* * *

The dull lights of the city pub swam in the iced russet liquor glass in Quent's hand. He sat near the window that read: "McLanderd's Pub" in white peeling-off cursive letters. 

Taking a gulp of it every now and then, Quent studied his drink and looked around the pub wondering why all women in town were hideous.

There was one woman who did spike his interest somewhat. She was the pub owner's daughter. She had smooth dark skin, wavy brunette hair, a classy figure and….was clearly too young for the old drunkard. Every Monday, she stood on a small corner stage and sang the Blues periodically brushing her lips against the microphone.

"_Complicated, that's what you are._

_You're never really close to me,_

_But you're never really far…"_

Quent drew his attention away from the woman noticing a man had joined him at the table.There, sat a handsome man with dark blue eyes that held sin that old Quent could not see. He chuckled and shook the man's hand from across the table.

"Why, if it isn't my old drinking buddy, Ron Berrison.How's life treating ya?"

The younger man smiled. "Can't say its' been the best."

"True, true." Quent settled back down and rubbed his nose. "One would think the life of the doctor would be well spent." He rubbed his hand together.

"On the contrary," Mr.Berrison lifted his glass of wine with class and took a sip. "When the seasons change, so does my schedule and time. It can be rather nerve-racking."

"Yeah sure. This is coming from the richest man in New Hope."

Berrison chuckled. "Now that's a little over exaggerated, Quent."

"Yeah well." Quent took another gulp of liquor and cleared his throat.

"So, how is your daughter? Still feisty and youthful I assume?"

"Eh.That's her alright.That little brat slammed the door on my face last night and I haven't seen her since."

"She locked herself in her room?"

"Nah, nah, she ran off or somethin'."

"And you allowed her too?" Berrison questioned a little startled.

"Acsan's a tough girl like her old man. She can handle herself."

Berrison rested against his chair and lifted his glass. "Of course.Quent, your daughter is rather absurd."

"What?"

"I mean to say she's incredible."

"Hm.Personally,I think she's nothing like other women.Nowadays,women are so screwed up in the head there's no telling what they're gonna bitch about next."

As Quent poured himself another glass, Berrison watched the people pass by with a content smile. His eyes began to pick out and analyze every woman he found attractive.

"Mm.But you must admit," He rubbed his bottom lip along the rim of his champagne glass. "without women, men would have no true happiness. In my opinion, I love women. The mere essence of a woman drives me rather…insane."

This whole time Quent was either unable to understand what his friend was saying or didn't really care. He just grumbled and poured some more liquor down his throat.

"Oh! Well look who we have here."

Berrison pointed outside to a redhead girl dragging her finger along the brick buildings beside her.

"What's that? Well I guess that answers the question of where she is."Quent sat back in his chair and sighed.

"Aren't you going to speak with her?"

"Why should I? All she's gonna do is yell at me."

Berrison raised an eyebrow and set his glass back on the table. "She seems bothered by something."

Quent lifted his head. "She's always like that. Mood to mood."

"I find it amusing when she snaps. It tickles me to see what kind of woman she will turn into."

"…whatever. You want some of this?" Quent lifted a tall liquor bottle and grinned.

The doctor smiled and shook his head. "Crazy old man."

* * *

Acsan wallowed down the streets carelessly bumping into different people ignoring their insults and gasps. She didn't carry the expression of sadness or a blank appearance. From all the emotions one could produce, she displayed boredom. 

Her arms swayed a little as she turned the corner. "Man. What the hell is happening?" She mumbled.

Without startling her, Hige appeared out of the corner underneath a broken streetlight covered from head to toe in what looked like blood. It was somewhat dry and dampened his hair.

The two didn't bother to look at each other. Their only reaction was to place their hands in their pockets.

Hige's eyes focused on a weed growing out of a crack in the sidewalk. "Hey."

"Hey."

Hige blinked and rubbed the back of his head nervously. Their voices remained rather monotone.

"What's with the blood?"

"What's with the scent?" Hige held sarcasm in his voice. Sick humor.

"…..I talked with Kiba."

"Sure that's not all you were doing." He mumbled more to himself.

"Look, I'm tired and hungry and I don't feel like talking anymore."

"Hm…"

"We can fight later." As soon as the girl began to leave, Hige spoke again.

"I wasn't trying to start a fight with you."

"…"

"Is Kiba looking for me?"

Acsan sniffed. "No.Maybe.I don't know."

Hige smiled. "Okay…Hey."

"Yeah?"

"About earlier, Acsan I never really wanted to-"

Acsan suddenly pressed a finger against his lips. "It's too early Hige."

Hige's wild eyes diminished and a sigh of exhaustion, of an emotional kid, escaped from his lips.

"Hige."

The wolf lifted his head.

"Never mind." Acsan lazily ran her hand down Hige's chest and stepped back. She turned kicking the little snow in front of her and departed into a nearby pub.She was instantly greeted by two drunken men. One was a doctor, the other was her father.

Crunch… Crunch… Crunch…

Hige turned back around seeing Kiba approaching. His eyes narrowed seeing the white wolf meet his gaze.

Unless he was wrong, Hige believed that the boy was following Acsan's scent.

"Lookin' for somethin'?"

Kiba lifted his head slowly. His expression showed a speck of surprise.

"Hige."

"You sound surprised."

"Hm." Kiba's eyes shifted to the right.

"You mind telling me why you smell like a certain human?"

An expensive black car, with its lights still on, drove past them nearly swerving out of control. They stood only feet apart looking at each other with a mystifying expression.

"Acsan-"

"So that's _Acsan's _scent I smell!" Hige smiled in mockery.

"Look, we can fight about this another time.Tsume and Toboe are-"

"Changing the subject, Kiba?"

"I said we can talk about this another time." Kiba responded firmly.

"I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU DID WITH HER!" Hige's voice echoed through the quiet streets.

A few birds flew overhead showering the two with black and gray feathers. One brushed across Hige's trembling face and within seconds, Kiba found his comrade hunched over and quietly sobbing.

Hige was having an emotional breakdown. To him it wasn't fair.All the love and happiness he showed Acsan seemed to be in vain. How was it that Kiba could win her over but he couldn't? Didn't the two hate each other?

Kiba watched Hige mourn in silence with a black feather stuck in his hair. A tan colored hand reached in and pulled it out.

Kiba relaxed realizing who was standing behind him.

"So ya found him?" Tsume replied standing next to Kiba with his arms folded.

Toboe appeared next and grabbed onto Kiba's arm looking up at him.

"What's the matter with Hige? Why is he covered in blood?"

"That's cow's blood." Tsume added.

An abrupt breeze rustled the three's hair as they watched the hurting wolf in front of them crumble.

Kiba's blue eyes darkened. "Let's go." He replied loud enough for Hige to hear.

The boy stood up hurriedly. "What?" He snapped.

Kiba stood with his back turned. "Didn't you hear me? I said let's go."

"Oh no you don't. I'm not leaving. I refuse! You may not like Acsan but I-"

"SHUT UP!" The gang jumped at the sound of the white wolf's voice. "Love has become a problem for the two of us; Hige.It has split us up and placed us against one another. Can't you see how pointless this has become? Fighting over some human girl. What if she did become your mate? Then what? We're wolves, Hige! What more could we please her with?"

Kiba was actually starting to build up a depression of his own. Doubt was beginning to settle in at an enormous rate. He didn't know if Acsan loved him or Hige.He didn't even know if Acsan loved the wolves at all.

"We're starting to drift away from our original destination. We can't go through this nonsense anymore.Acsan shall no longer matter to us."

Hige exhaled in disbelief.

Tsume started to walk along side Kiba having nothing witty or annoying to say.Toboe gently pulled on Hige arm following the others. No one said a word even though there was so much that needed to be said.

They past "McLanderd's Pub" keeping their eyes straight ahead of them after noticing two familiar faces in the window. As soon as their gaze connected, they all felt a shock go through them.

"Haven't I seen those kids from somewhere?" A waitress asked watching them pass by.

"Those aren't kids, they're wolves!"

Quent chocked on his whiskey and sat up searching for his non-existing rifle. He stood up cracking his fist only to be pushed gently back down by his daughter who kept her gaze on the "wolf boy" who changed everything.

The four wolves walked in a group gradually making their way through the much alive city of New Hope and as soon as they reached beyond the outskirts, they were nothing but silhouettes in the morning mist.

Acsan rested her back against the wooden chair breathing slowly while dreadful thoughts danced in her head. She directed her gray eyes over to the soulful singer whose dress color represented Acsan's feelings. Blue.

"_Not understood…likethis should be._

_Through ups and downs like you wouldn't believe._

_I just complain till it drives me insane._

_I guess...this is what they call pain."_

Mr. Berrison, still drinking his favorite champagne, observed Acsan's silky red hair that cascaded over her shoulder while some lounged behind her. He examined the pure beauty of her sad gray eyes. He mentally gave her the nickname: "My Beautiful Tragedy."

As soon as his brilliant blues meet her gorgeous grays, he displayed a smile that gave off so many signs of desire but alas, poor Acsan did not even catch one.

She raised an eyebrow and turned her head back to the live entertainment.Mr.Berrison smiled handsomely at her again and motioned for Quent to raise his glass.

The tall attractive man stood up and tapped his glass with a fork getting everyone's attention.

"Excuse me. Excuse me. May I have everyone's attention please? Though I find myself deeply in love with Ms. Lilac's voice, I would like to make a toast."

Acsan rolled her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Quent cleared his throat and impatient shook his glass at the doctor.

"I would like to make a toast to the apple of my eye, the symbol of beauty, the woman who makes Aphrodite look like rubish-"

Quent leaned over to his daughter and whispered. "Who's Aphrodite?"

"-the jewel of New Hope and the daughter of the greatest man alive..."

Acsan chuckled to herself. "Ptf.Yeah right….Wait."

"Ms.Acsan Yaiden."

Slowly everyone in the pub raised their glass and drank. Some of them cheered, others clapped. While Quent laughed for no logical reason other than being drunk, Acsan felt like crawling underneath the table out of embarrassment.

As she sank in her chair pressing a hand on her forehead, the rest of the pub calmed back down and went back to their eating,drinking,and listening to Ms.Lilac sing the Blues.

Mr.Berrison sat back down and poured the mortified girl a glass of white wine.

"I'm sure you're old enough to have a little wine." He handed her the glass only to find it placed back down on the table.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Why shouldn't I be? You are Quent's daughter after all.Plus; I believe all women deserve to be rewarded."

Acsan shifted in her seat. She didn't trust this man. The way he looked at her, the way he acted, the things he said, and not to mention the incident from earlier, thisman just couldn't be trusted.

He may have been the town's favorite doctor and the female's favorite man but to Acsan, no matter what he did, the man was strange.

Bottom line,Acsan did **not** like Mr.Berrison.


	19. My Dimming Aftermath

**Chapter 19**

**My Dimming Aftermath**

_They say people who lack ambition should quit dreaming. Well I think I should start living by that quote._

_It's been 3 or 4 days now since "they" left New Hope. I believe it was on a Tuesday or a Thursday but I guess it really doesn't matter. I've fallen into a great depression involving lots of crying, sleepless nights, and drinking. I have developed a new friend who goes by the name of Moonshine. I usually visited him at a pub, not the "McLanerd's" but a new one that opened on 44th street a couple of days ago._

_Quent was stuck at home after trying to shoot what he thought was a wolf he claimed to have seen on the horizon. Turns out it was just a cow passing by. I swear it's the booze that's causing him to go blind._

_The sluggish, drowsy jazz music was playing inside the nearly empty bar. A couple of men, around the age of 40, were playing an arousing game of pool with a few unsightly women at their side._

_The bartender was drying a glass with a blank look on his face. His expression reminded me of "Him" and I shook it off feeling someone touch my arm. But when I turned, I found no one there._

_I rubbed my head roughly. _"Is there something wrong, Miss?" _The bartender asked with concern._

"N-nah, it's just a headache."_ In truth, I think it was by best friend giving me a hard time. _

"I think I better leave."_ I replied laying 8 dollars on the counter. _"This atmosphere isn't working for me."

_The bartender took my money and nodded understandingly as I walked out the glass doors. A large gust of wind came in from the South and I inhaled it hoping it would clear my clouded head._

_Success. But why was I still feeling bounded? Maybe it was true love having a negative affect on me._

_For the past few days, to be brutally honest, I have been thinking about him. I've tried to fight it and pretend that we were never together and, you know, get back to the whole tomboy attitude thing. That's why I've been drinking so much._

_Bottom line, nothing's working. Whether my eyes are open or closed, I can still see him. Not to mention the feeling of his warmth is always around me._

_I stood in front of my house looking it over with no real meaning. When I'm thinking about something as bothersome as this, I tend to stare down unimportant objects._

_The snow had already started to melt so the streets were damp and shone in the sunlight. It was about 2 in the afternoon according to the town's big church bells clanging off in the distance._

_New Hope was busy today for some reason. A lot more cars and trucks were zipping by and a lot more people came out for a stroll at their leisure. Spring must be here._

_It was still cold though, the climate and all. But Mr. Moonshine made it feel like not such a big deal. My mind was in a fluctuating daze yet I could make good sense of everything around me. I felt irritable like an old man, a certain old man to be exact._

_Unexpectatly, the front door of my house swung open and a tall man, accompanied by my father, stepped out with a handsome smile on his face. They seemed to have just finished a conversation before they caught sight of me._

"Why good afternoon, Miss Acsan."_ The tall man smiled and tipped his white hat a little._

_It took me awhile, due to the booze, but I finally registered the man's familiar face. It was Mr. Berrison.Mr.Ron Berrison._

_Quent leaned against the door post with a smug look on his face. _"Acsan, speak, he's talking to you." _He ordered me as if I were a dog._

"Doctor."_ I forced myself to say. _

"It's been ever so long since I've seen you. Look at you, it's seems you are already blooming into an even finer woman."

_A low uneasy feeling stirred in the pit of my stomach. Negative vibes were surrounding this man and it was making me queasy._

_The doctor tilted his head slightly perhaps examining me. _" Oh my, Miss Acsan,you look a little ill." _He approached me slowly reaching out to touch my forehead. It was ironically warm and soft._

"My goodness, you are running a fever."

"A fever?" _Quent questioned huskily._

_Berrison turned to my father. _"Yes, indeed.It is much too high. If it wouldn't be too bothersome Quent,I would like to tend to Acsan illness."

_My Illness?I didn't feel sick at all. Just drunk. _"Look,doc-"

"Hush now."_ He pressed a gentle finger against my lips. _"I shall take care of you."

_I slapped his head away letting the booze protest. _"Hell no! I'm not sick! And even if I was, I wouldn't let so murderous, crackpot, womanizing, son of a bitch take care of m-m.."

_My head was starting to feel extremely heavy and I lost feeling in both my legs. I collapsed on what I thought would be the wet cement sidewalk but turned out to be the vile warmth of the famous Dr. Ron Berrison._

_

* * *

_

_One Hundred and Forty, fifthy, perhaps even one hundred and seventy miles away; away from humans, conflict and her._

_My pack and I have been walking nonstop ignoring the change in climate, Toboe's whining, and Hige's stomach. Feeling fatigue approach me, I decided to stop in the valley of tall grass we were walking through. I never spoke my decision but the others understood by my actions._

_The land was plentiful of fresh meat and water which Toboe took it upon himself to go play in which in turn scared off the deer Tsume was stalking._

"Dang it,Toboe!"

"Oh,uh,sorry Tsume."

"Great, just great. Now you have to go hunt for yourself."

_I sat under a large willow tree with green leaves that tickled my face.Tsume joined me with an exhausted sigh and propped his elbows on his knees. He looked at me before staring off in the distance as I was. There was a moment of silence before he spoke._

"I see you two haven't talked ever since we left." _I knew he was talking about Hige and I._

_This was true, Toboe had claimed the throne as the talkative one and even then no one spoke._

_I looked over to where Hige was sitting and listened to Toboe feeble attempts to get the wolf to speak. They were all in vile._

_What caught my attention was the dark, shadowy look on his face. I had never seen it before and it looked very unnatural. It made me wonder what exactly was going through his head and judging from Tsume's expression, he thought the same thing as well._

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!"_ I blinked watching Toboe hit the ground with force brought on from both gravity and Hige himself._

_He pinned the smaller wolf to the ground by admitting on his weight through his arms... and his teeth._

"What the-Hige what the hell do you think you're doing!"_ Tsume stood up and raced over to the wolves leaving me alone once more. I preferred to watch the scene from afar. _

"What the hell is your problem, Hige!"_ Tsume stood in front of Toboe who held his left shoulder trying to stop the tremendous flow of murky blood._

"I told him to stay away from me!" _Hige shouted back pointing at innocent Toboe._

"So you bit him! Look, I don't know exactly what is going on in that crazy mind of yours and this may have something to do with that human but whatever it is, don't you dare take it out on us! You got that!"

_Tsume seemed to tower over him, staring him down with great intensity. It didn't surprise me noticing Hige wasn't shaken a bit. His narrowed eyes searched Tsume's for a moment before looking and Toboe and then me._

_We locked eyes for a few minutes before he pushed past Tsume and walked to the edge of the lake that Toboe had been playing in before. He plopped down and punched the water's edge while shouting an array of decorative words._

"Crazy ass wolf."_ Tsume turned back to Toboe. _"You okay?"

_Toboe looked up surprised and gently nodded his head. The bleeding of his shoulder had stopped by left behind a large rust colored stain._

_That night, the three of us sat around the Willow tree listening to the calming north wind. Though we were extremely tired, neither of us could sleep possibly because of the earlier incident_

_Hige was still sitting by the water's edge watching the full moon's reflection perchance. He threw a pebble with caused ripples and a faint trickling sound that stirred me for some reason._

"He's still out there, huh?" _Tsume asked sitting rather close to me. Toboe sat in front of us licking his wound obsessively._

"Toboe, stop that, you'll make it start bleeding again."_ Toboe stopped. _

_I knew this was my fault.Toboe would have never received such an injury If I just lift things as they were. If I had kept my distance from Acsan, most likely Hige and I wouldn't be loathing each other right now. But then again, if I hadn't of stuck around, Acsan could have been exposed to a future of torturous confusion and who knows what else._

"Look who's calmed down."

_I snapped out of my gaze noticing Hige slowly approaching us.Tsume shifted in his sitting position and Toboe slowly crawled over to me out of possible dread._

_Hige sat Indian-style as it is called with his eyes fixed on the waxy emerald grass. The fireflies had come out and danced slowly around us._

"Kiba…I want to speak with you."

_Tsume made a comical huff before smirking and looking away._

_I concentrated on the brow wolf's actions. "_Are you sure you want to do that? I can't guarantee I'll stay quiet."

_Hige twitched and pulled at the grass unsteady. _"Yeah whatever, just…come on." _He looked at me with an unreadable expression but I paid no attention to it as I followed him away from Tsume and Toboe._

_Our meeting place turned out to be on the other side of the lake, out of the other's audible range.Hige had shoved his hand in his pockets and was kicking the dirt briskly. It disturbed me knowing he still smelled like Acsan._

"This sucks, you know."

_I blinked continuing to listen._

" I…we…she…" _He bit his lip and cursed looking up at the night sky. _"Why her ,Kiba?"

"…"

"Why does it have to be her? This would have never happened-"_ I could see pain swell up in his eyes but had no reason why._

_I deeply missed Acsan as well but not to the point it felt like I was dying. It astonished me how much he desperately desired this girl, this human girl that I was attracted to as well._

_Could Hige have stronger feeling for her than me? _

"Kiba?"

"Hm?"

"I will see her again." _He looked at me. _"With or without your permission."

"I know you will, eventually, and so will I."_ This angered him.Hige gritted his teeth and balled his hands into fists._

"You see, this is exactly the reason why I didn't want to talk to you."_ I turned my back on him feeling rather sly for staying so calm._

_I could hear Hige growling from behind me. _"You can't run away from this, Kiba."

_I stopped abruptly completely shocked at not his words but the unnaturally even satanic tone of his voice. It was a lethal mixture of sadness and rage that I need been exposed to before. Without warning I found my face being roughly grated against the once soft terrain. As he held onto my head, the smell of blood slowly made itself present. It was my very own._

_Taking much of my strength, I tore Hige off of my body refusing to let him have the advantage. We were about to lunge for each other again when I left the strong arms of Tsume hold me back._

_Though the blood stung my eyes, I could still see Hige who was being held back as well by Toboe.I knew they were both shouting at me but it sounded like mumbling. All 5 of my senses were focused on one wolf._

_The night soon became still and not a creature made a sound. Only the sounds of our four rapid beating hearts and Hige and I panting graced the night air. We sat across from each other dirty, covered with scratches and me with a bloody forehead. Our narrowed eyes never once moved to something else. _

_Maybe Hige did have stronger feeling for Acsan but then again, he didn't know how I felt…and what **I** desired._


	20. Undenfied Hopes and Desires

**Chapter 20**

**Undefined Hopes and Desires**

_Repeatedly I'm lost in a constant haze when you come into view. Speak to me, cherish me, and stay with me forever._

The moonlight gleamed as it sank itself into the navy blankets of the heavens and peeked through the fluffy clouds. The breeze was cool and comforting yet dealt a harsh blow over the land. It played with Tsume's "Rat-tail" and rushed the loose ends of his clothes. He stood in silence watching the world rested.

Toboe stood beside him standing not so sternly with his wide eyes focusing on the wolf that once assaulted him.

Hige shoved his hands in his pockets and gazed at the ground waiting for the others to say or do something. After previous quarrel; no one had said a word. He and Kiba had remained separated glaring viciously at each other briefly.

The young white wolf still held lingering scars and bite marks on his faultless body. He had moved from his usual spot under the tree to the nearby lake shore were grass met sand. There, he twirled a red Coral Bell flower in the water unsurprisingly pondering on Acsan's whereabouts and how soon he could get to her.

The kiss he had shared with her felt different but consoling to him and he desperately wanted to know how it felt for her. He hoped his actions were no in vain feeling unwanted doubt.

_I only wish to taste the skin of that human, not of her blood. _His imagination mumbled on.

Tsume sniffed the air with his eyes closed. "It seems it's going to rain."

Toboe smiled naively. "Really Tsume? This late at night?"

"What are you so happy about?"

Toboe blushed and fettled with his bracelets. "Well, I kind of like the rain."

Tsume huffed and walked over to Kiba nudging him gently with his foot. "Hey, you think we should leave?"

Although Kiba was looking straight at the gray wolf it took him quite a while to register what he was saying. With a slow hesitant shake of his head, Kiba went back to picking the wild flowers.

Tsume nodded in agreement and went back to lounging under the big Willow tree not bothering to answer Toboe's inferior questions. He rested his hands behind his head and observed Hige and Kiba's movements with slight irritation.

"Hey Tsume?"

"Hm?" Tsume mumbled without looking at the smaller wolf.

"You think it's a good idea to leave those two alone?"

"They aren't doing anything wrong are they?"

"Well, no.But ever since they both found out they liked the same girl, we haven't been acting like a true pack lately."

"Hm."

"I'm just saying…" Toboe fettled with his bracelets again. "I want us to go back to the way things were."

Tsume watched the boy curled up and scoot next to him and tensed a little. He knew this mess was all caused by the human girl and it made him very uncomfortable.

Tsume grumbled to himself and continued to watch Hige this time staring Kiba down.Kiba, however, only look out into the large mass of shimmering sapphire water.

"Amazing how calm he is." He looked down monetarily feeling Toboe move in his sleep before dosing off himself.

The night seemed to last for an eternity as the stars twinkled overhead. All nature had received tranquility and only the soothing coo of the rain scented wind was audible.

_Kiba sat a few feet away from me with that signature blank expression on his face and his body covered in scars from my earlier assault. I did not hate him for who he was but for what he had done. Though he would never admit to it, I knew Kiba had spent time with Acsan.The mere smell of her scent on his body enraged me. He, in conclusion, touched what I came to love and wanted to protect._

_My mind began to race wondering what he could have done to her. But would Acsan truly let Kiba have his way with her? _

Sadly, what Hige couldn't see was the love and pure loyalty Kiba felt for the human girl. Though there were a hundred ways to please his yearns, Kiba's only wish was to be near her again; to talk, love and protect.

Hige only saw the white wolf as a threat to his "dream life", his "paradise" if you will.

As impossible as it sounded, Hige felt he was not at all guilty for what he had done in the past and was completely oblivious of how perturbed he had made Acsan feel. All that his focused on was how wrong it was for Kiba to graze on his territory.

_

* * *

_

_I awoke with a blistering headache and the horrible taste of liquor upon my lips. My vision blurred as I slowly lifted myself up from what I learned was my bed. The moon's glow spilled into my room reflecting off of my dresser mirror, a bottle of medicine and two small orbs in the shadowy corner of my room._

"I'm glad to see the medicine has taken its effect."

_I screamed crawling close to the window. _"Who the he-"

_The lights flicked on blinding me for a brief moment in turn exposing my visitor.There, Mr.Berrison stood in a long white coat and matching hat which he tipped at me. His newfound glasses gleamed in the moonlight completely creeping me out._

_He smiled exposing his perfect teeth as he made his way closer to me. "_How are you feeling?"

"Wha?"

_He sat on my bed making it bounce just a little. He looked out my window and then at his wrist watch which was newfound as well. _"You drink an awful lot for a young lady. In fact, I can't recall you ever being involved in liquor consumption".

_I huffed._ "Well, that's my own business."

_He leaned back against the wall and folded his arms._ "I can't image why a girl like you would want to consume so much liquor at one time."

_I kept in mind that I was talking to an untruthful man in the dark and scooted away from him. I wondered why he kept on pressing that question about my alcohol abuse._

"It seems to me that there was something deeply troubling you."

"I-"

"Because, I believe…if an individual has to drink that much…"

"What do you want from me!"

_Mr. Berrison smiled to himself and looked down at the floor before standing up. He walked over to my bedroom door and thankfully flicked on the light switch next to it._

"What I want?"_ He smirked handsomely. It scared me. _"Acsan, how would you like to join me at work tomorrow?"

_I sat up crossing my legs. _"Are you serious?"

"Well yes. I believe it would be good for you. As in….relieving you from what ails you, Miss Yaiden."

_I twitched at the smooth and dangerous sound of his voice. _"Thanks but no thanks Berrison; I think I can handle this issue by myself."_ I glared at him hoping that would make him leave but it didn't work._

_For about 15 minutes, Mr.Berrison stood in the doorway running his finger up and down its wooden lining with a dreamy soft look on his face. Though it appeared very innocent, I knew there was more to it._

_The silent tension in the room made my hands start to tremor and the low beating of my heart echoed in my ears as I stared at my carpeted floor._

"It was those boys, wasn't it?"

_I jerked my head up in shock after hearing the man's sudden statement. _"What?" _I whispered unintentionally._

"Those four boys were the reason why you were binge drinking."

_I grew silent. He had defiantly hit the nail on the head._

"Were they your friends?"_ He curiously questioned slowly approaching. _"Relatives? No.Perhaps…one was a lover at the time?"

_I turned my head as he stood directly in front of me. He got on one knee and followed my eye movement with his._

"Is that the reason why Quent was so unsteady with them? One was your lover? Perhaps?"_ His dark voice crept in the night._

_After a briefly game of dodging eye contact, he grabbed my chin and pulled me so close I could feel his breath on my face. His eyes were now a murky navy that appeared to consume the light above us._

"Were they really boys,Acsan?"

_My eyes widened in disbelief. Did he know? Could Dr. Berrison actually be able to tell "they" were wolves?_

"Am I correct?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."_ My voice was still rather weak and whispery._

"Why didn't you answer my question?"

_I was speechless._

"You're awful quiet. Perhaps the medicine is making you calmer?"_ He rubbed my chin with his thumb. _"Or are you trying to keep something from me?"

"Why on Earth do you care what's going on with me?"

_The doctor only smiled as he continued to rub my chin._

_As if on cue, Quent came into the room with a newspaper in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other. My stomach started churn feeling the flavor on my lips. _

"Hey Ron, she gonna be alright?"

_At this time, Berrison had already let go of my chin and was straightening his hat on his head._

"Why yes. All she needs is a little rest."_ He glanced back at me before turning off the light and walking out of my room along with my father._

_The last words of heard from him that night were, _"Quent, old man, I have a question to ask of you." _After that, I passed out dreaming of superb possibilities. _

_

* * *

_

_My last thoughts for tonight are simply this.Acsan is like a drug; small but packed with an unbelievable amount of pure ecstasy. I am sure I will continue to feel this way for her until the day I die._

_That day I had the opportunity to tell her everything that fluttered in my heart.So, why didn't I do more?_

_I glazed at the full moon listening to the crickets and the low breathing of my pack. I wondered whether she was watching the moon as well. Maybe she became just as entranced with it as me._

_I lay on the silky grass with my hands behind my head and dreamed of superb possibilities. _


	21. Bittersweet Symphony

**Chapter 21**

**Bittersweet Symphony**

Like a billion dark feathers fluttering in the breeze, Kiba's shady hair softly scattered across his face in the morning light. The once lush landscape he and his pack laid upon was now transformed into a dry and rather sandy area. They had been following an old railroad track that seemed to run forever and it was starting to affect them all.

Spring felt like summer under the hot desert sun. Though the land lacked moisture, there were trees, plentiful but withered and leafless from dehydration. They provided very little shade nor shelter but despite the harsh elements, Kiba felt satisfied with the place.

For one thing, he could finally think. Like everyday, Kiba sat separated from the group with a look of dimness on his face. He leaned against a bulky fallen tree branch and looked up into the sky perhaps to find an answer. A much needed answer to a question that had been bugging him ever since he left _her_. Feeling the sky held no relief, he sighed and watched a dung beetle roll feces in front of him.

Hige sat about 4 yards away from Kiba with a stocking expression on his face. He now officially declared the white wolf his rival…forever. In fact, Hige was so convinced that he even announced it to the pack before they left their sleeping ground that night.

Ever since that moment of declaration, Hige had been giving death glares, surveying Kiba's every move, and being overall paranoid. His red amber eyes flickered in the sun as he observed his rival's movement.

Feeling uncomfortable, Kiba stood up and carried his new friend, the dung beetle, to the outer perimeter of the dead tree forest.

Being finally freed of his suddenly repulsive pack, Kiba sat in the warm sand watching his friend scurry across the land looking for his missing fece-ball. The boy chuckled to himself softly.

"I know exactly how you feel. You're strong and wise enough to take on the elements of life yet there is always something precious missing."

"I liked it better when you talked to yourself." A husky voice said behind the white wolf.

Tsume leaned on a nearby tree with his arms crossed in their usual "cool" fashion.

"I came here to be alone."

"What's with the newfound sensitivity?"

It was strange.Normally, the gray wolf's voice was welcomed.Kiba liked Tsume's presence because it was much like his own but for some reason, today it sounded infuriating.

Kiba's shoulders tensed and he tried to focus harder on his dung beetle.Tsume noticed the boy's unsteadiness but urged forward anyway.

"So what's exactly on your mind?"

"Nothing that I really want to share with you." Kiba spat through clinched teeth.

Tsume huffed slyly and sat next to the bothered wolf. He joined Kiba in watching the struggling bug and decided to mercilessly pour sand on it.

Kiba's cobalt eyes stared at the squirming creature kicking under the grains of sand and began to daydream.

"You see, Kiba.This is how I know you're about to crumble. You first start out with these crazy ideas about paradise and everything is all simple."

Tsume stopped to scoop up some more sand.

"And then you allow Hige to come across this human girl. So what happens? Conflict."

He started to slowly pour sand on the poor beetle again. "And since Hige is a lovesick puppy, it takes us forever to get back on track."

"That was his choice." Kiba mumbled.

"True, but then _you _start to have this foolish proposal that you are in love with her. So what happens then!" With a sudden harsh slap, Tsume sent the beetle flying feet away from the two wolves.

"Even more conflict that Toboe and I have to suffer though!"

He shouted inches away from Kiba's sensitive ears but the troubled wolf neither flinched nor shouted back.

"Are you finished?" He replied almost inaudibly.

Tsume stuttered. "W-what? Did you understand anything I just said!"

"Tsume, I already have two people who despise me and I really don't want to make it three without a logical reason."

The gray wolf stood up relaxing his expression.

"Anyway, whatever grudge you're holding with Hige, keep it to yourself. I'm used to your normal moodiness and not this kind so get yourself together." He strolled off with his hands in his pockets.

Before he could even finish his dramatic exit, the two wolves noticed the slight tremble of the Earth beneath them.

"What the-"

Kiba slowly arose from his sitting position and turned to Hige and Toboe who had just appeared on the scene. They both were wide-eyed and out of breath.

Toboe was hunched over with his hands on his knees. "Is…it an earthquake?"

Hige frantically searched the area with panic ever so wary in his heart. His eyes lit up in excitement seeing a large silhouette charging along the railroad tracks in the distance. It was a fairly new metallic train with red letters reading: "665 R.B." on the side. A thick black smolder spewed from its minimized smokestack and the bellowing of the shuttle's whistle echoed in the distance.

Hige continued scanning the approaching train and discovered the extraordinary cargo the locomotive was hauling. The train consisted of about 40 cars, some filled with people, others containing canopied cage-like chambers. This would have been an insignificant sighting if there weren't any visible occupants inside the cages but unfortunately there were.

The hearts and stomachs of the four boys sank as the train's startling panorama came into clear view.Wolves, much like themselves only older, were piled on top of one another motionless and in poor health. There was a good chance that at least half of them were dead but there was no possible way to be certain.

The four watched the train pass by almost in slow motion before it whistled them a farewell.

Hige stood frozen with his mouth slightly ajar. His messy hair whipped his face repeatedly.

"No way…" His remark a little below a whisper.

In nearly the exact moment, he and Kiba both sprinted off into the morning sun with the sand bursting underneath their rapid footsteps.

Tsume and Toboe, partially dumbfounded, followed suit without questioning the eager boys' motives.

The sound of the train's roaring engine and the trembling of the ground below intensified.Tsume remained silent by means of focusing on nothing else but the train and the two boys ahead of him. He didn't understand what was going on himself but he did ,however, have a hunch.

-

Tapping her foot impatiently, Acsan stood next to a brand new soda machine with her headphones placed in a unique fashion behind her head. Though the music was faint, it was clearly audible to anyone who passed by. Her father, only a few feet away, was preoccupied with a payphone.

She was located outside a recently built train station far from home in a gigantic city named Adventine.The city was fairly new and bloomed innovative dreams and fresh faces.

The capital contained colossal skyscrapers made of steel and decorative glass which populated the main and suburban streets. Even the vehicles were up to date and some sparkling new.

Acsan slowly began to drift feeling fatigue from standing so long. Her father's phone conversation was taking a lot longer than she had presumed. She released a big sigh of relief hearing Quent hang up the phone.

He walked over to his daughter lifting his hat up to wipe the sweat off his brow.

"Damn,it's hot."

"You sure you're not sick."

"Hm? Me sick? You're the one who should be sick."

Acsan shrugged off her father's accusation and looked off into the distant parking lot. The area was flooded with rich vegetation, trees, bushes; etc.She shoved her hands in her pockets and followed her father inside the fancy train station.

Inside, the building was adorned in teal translucent glass, chrome and white marble. There were service counters everywhere with people actually assisting. Everything was down right futuritic, an unusual element compared to the train station in New Hope.

Quent and Acsan stood in awe as civilians and station personal scurried about.

Quent scratched the back of his neck nearly knocking off his tattered hat. "Will you look at that?"

A few thick red strands of hair draped over Acsan's vision as she whispered, "Wow."

The two continued their journey through the crowded station.

"So, why exactly are we here?" The girl walked a little behind her father.

"We're meeting Ron here."

Ascan stumbled making her sneakers screech. "Ron? You mean eerie Doctor Ron!" She rushed to keep up with her dad.

"You've got to me kidding!"

"I'm not." Unlike his frantic daughter, Quent kept a more relaxed and careless expression.

"But why? When did you plan this? You know I hate the guy."

"That's not the point." The old man seemed to be walking with his eyes closed. "Berrison's got a job opportunity for you that he thinks will do you some good."

"Do me some good? What the hell does that mean!"

"Ron thinks you're gettin' moody. He says that a job would maybe make you feel less stressed."

"And you trust him?"

"He _is_ a doctor."

"But he doesn't know a thing about me! And don't expect me to open up to the guy." She folded her arms aggravated.

"Acsan?"

"What?"

Quent sighed roughly and scratched his forehead. "Ah, never mind."

They stopped standing under a sigh that read in bright white letters: "Turkruu 8"

Acsan stood reluctantly beside her father uncomfoftably awaiting the arrival of the infamous Dr.Ron Berrison.

"His train should come in anytime now." Quent muttered to his fidgeting offspring. He noticed her squirming but shrugged it off.

Dropping her arms, Acsan confessed her unsteady feelings and went to sit down on a nearby black iron bench. She sat next to an older woman in her early 30's with her toddler son.

The laughing child, bright-eyed and drooling connected eyes with the teen girl and smiled.Acsan smiled back unsurely and leaned back on the bench looking up at the discovered glass sunroof.

Her grey eyes reflected the heavens clear blue sky and fluffy white clouds. Her mind began to drift and soon the scenery that surrounded her began to fade. The location transformed around erasing the woman, her toddler, and the noisy train station.

Acsan sniffed feeling cold air graze her skin and swearing she could see snow flakes fluttering from the atmosphere. Although the clouds were light gray with obscurity, her lips felt like they were touched by gratification.

She adjusted her headphones hearing a familiar song begin to play.

_'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life_

_Try to make ends meet_

_You're a slave to money then you die_

_I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down_

_You know the one that takes you to the places _

_where all the veins meet yeah, _

_No change, I can change_

_I can change, I can change_

_But I'm here in my mold_

_I am here in my mold_

_But I'm a million different people-_

"Shazam!" Shouted an adolescent voice.

"Ow." Acsan awoke from her dreamland rubbing her throbbing head.

The woman she was sitting next to gasped. "Oh my goodness, Garrett J.Berrison! I'm so sorry, dear." She blushed pulling her son, who was repeatedly whacking Acsan on the head with a toy, away.

"Shazam! You're awake! Shazam! You're awake!" The little boy shouted. His adorable voice echoed in the station.

With great effort, the woman managed to control her unruly son and gently pulled him towards the arriving train projecting motherly orders along the way.

Acsan hunched over rubbing the side of her head. "….Berrison?"

The distinct laughter of Quent was easily projected inside the lavish train station. His laughter was brought on by the witty jokes of Ron Berrsion who had just stepped off the train moments earlier.

Acsan glanced over to the familiar woman and son and blinked. "Oh." She nodded understandingly and stood up seeing the group coming in her direction.

"I bet that train ride was like a dream." Quent and his friend were already in the middle of small talk.

"The cooking was acceptable." Ron smiled handsomely.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" The toddler ran around in circles making the mother laugh.

Dr.Berrison looked down at the jumping boy and smiled picking him up. "Ah and how are you, my son?"

"Super!" He shouted kicking his little feet. The two caught sight of Acsan and smiled.

With Garrett still in his arms, Mr.Berrison approached the teen. "Miss Yaiden, how nice it is to see you again."

Acsan rolled her eyes and looked away. "I wish I could say the same."

The woman, presumably Berrison's wife, stiffened a little and whispered to her husband.

"Darling, I don't think she likes you. What a rude girl."

Berrison chuckled. "Nonesense, only personality. She gets it from her old man." He elbowed Quent who was desperately searching his pockets for a cigarette.

Mrs.Berrison studied the girl before her and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Miss Yaiden.I'm sure I'll learn more about you soon."

Acsan was studying the woman as well and wondered if she was as strange as her husband. She looked passed the lady and observed the even stranger train.

Everyone looked with her unassumingly.

"It's called the Black Surreptitious." Mrs.Berrison remarked.

The train was exhausting black smoke that spread through the tunnel and rolled onto the marbled floor close to where they resided.

"What about that black smoke? Isn't it dangerous?"

Berrison raised an eyebrow in question handing his son over to his wife. "I see you are interested in trains, Miss Yaiden."

"Not really." Acsan looked at the train one last time before turning to the doctor standing directly behind her. She took a step back suspiciously.

"I have another question."

"Oh?" At this point the five were strolling towards the exit of the train station.

"How come your train was black? All the others were silver. And what's with those cag-"

"My,you are a curious one."

Mr.Berrison smiled under his white hat which shaded his eyes so well. He courted Acsan and his wife outside with Garrett swinging on Quent's arm.

Outside the train station and passed the parking lot, the five stood on the sidewalk waiting for a cab.

Acsan lingered in the shade of a tree allowing its leaves to tickle her face. She watched Mrs.Berrison and her son get into a cab after the adults exchanged kisses and a few words.

As soon as the cab drove out of the distance, Berrison and Acsan made eye contact.Quent, who finally found his cigarette, decided to relax on the curb feeling too lazy to talk to his friend any longer.

The mistrust was thick in the air.Acsan's grey eyes narrowed as she wondered why the man before her didn't even blink.

"You're dressed rather deprived this morning, Miss Yaiden."

Acsan twitched a little and frowned. The atmosphere around her was deleting itself and only she, the wind and Dr.Berrison remained.

Looking at his feet, the man took a few steps forward with a skeptical smile on his face. "I'm sure Quent informed you on the job opportunity?"

Acsan did not answer.

"Well then, how would you like to be my assistant?"

"I don't now anything about medical-"

"You are mumbling an awful lot today." He interrupted.

The trance-like moment was broken when the screams of people was thundered from behind. They came from the train station along with sounds of breaking glass and canine voices.

Alert as ever, Quent sprang up from his resting spot and look in the direction of the calamity. He muttered a few words of profanitiy before racing off with a visable gun at his side.

Acsan's placed a hand on her heart mentally making sure she was hearing what she thought she was hearing. All it took was one bone-chilling howl and she took off.

Not even making it through the parking lot, an arm grabbed hold of her waist stopping her completely. She turned around in shock to see Dr.Berrison, with a face overflowing with darkness, holding her back.

"What the hell are you doing!" She tore herself away from the doctor's grasp.

Mr.Berrison's white teeth were visible under his hat. "Don't get involved with things you can't handle, Miss Yaiden."

Feeling confused and excited at the same time, Acsan dropped what the doctor said and made her way through the crowd of people bursting out of the train station. Some had injures to their faces, and hands, many were frantically screaming tripping over one another.

Running into the central part of the station, bullets and masculine voices sprang up from nowhere. The girl hid behind a service counter with a phone knocked over hanging beside her.

As bullets bounced and ricocheted overhead, Acsan remained glued to the floor listening to the screams of injured and angered men none of which belonged to her father.

She could hear a panicked voice on the other end of the phone next to her and slowly picked it up and placed in on its hinge.

A loud ping resided right beside her hand. She screamed recoiling her hand after feeling the phone explode into a thousand pieces that rained upon her.

She stared down at her bleeding palm and noticed she was shaking. The bullets and barking were still alive growing closer and louder.

The sound of men dying tainted her ears and caused her to jolt recognizing one that she knew for too well.

Sliding upward with her back still against the counter, she peered over her left shoulder seeing nothing but smoke, debris and the orange sparks from gunfire.

"Quent!" She shouted half demanding and half scared.

A sudden rifle's bullet flew clear across the room and shattered her headphones which trickled off her head.

She screamed and cursed pulling her body back behind the counter in a fetal position shivering like mad. Her mind was so filled with terror that she didn't even notice the war had seized.

With her wavy red hair tangled and covered in a variety of fragments, Acsan slowly lifted her head hearing the sound of low bellowing growling.

Her breathing was shaky;reminding her she was still alive. Her only thought was to escape by crawling.

Slowly forcing her body to move,she turned her back away from the counter and scooted away slowly. She winced hearing every piece of cracking glass underneath her sneakers.

Just when she was about to reach the end of the counter a heavy body landed on the countertop with a bang. Its breathing was as heavy as her own.

Acsan whispered a few words and closed her eyes for a moment knowing that she was spotted. Accepting her fate, she looked up as a last request to see the face of her reaper.

Cerulean pools of realization met her eyes and she gasped softly.Kiba appeared squatted above her with his clothing and face scratched and bloody.

"Acsan."


	22. Forever I Follow

**Chapter 22**

**Forever I Follow**

_Words of everlasting affection_

_can never be powerful if they_

_are not given the living gift of voice._

Like a mood ring on a guilty finger, the atmosphere of Advertine station had turned dreary and opaque. It's once lavish décor and rich accessories now appeared eroded or lay shattered on the cold dusty floor.

Minutes and hours passed in the blink of an eye and the sun slid closer to the West casting morbid shadows inside the grand station.However, nothing was more morbid than the many reddened bodies that lay broken across the tiled floor. They were lifeless expressing either faces of shock or final slumber.

No of the men who died in the station were related or even knew each other for that matter. They had a masculine sense of wanting to protect but sadly their battle for peace was lost. Many of them had families and lovers who've vowed to never separate.

Till' death do us part.

However, their promises meant nothing now. It was time for them to rest with a gun in hand and many regrets.

The soft sound of scraping glass whispered through the grayish haze of Advertine Station. Dirty sneakers slid across the floor as Acsan tried carefully to pull herself to a more comfortable sitting postion.She was surrounded in glass and captured in the warm blue eyes of a boy she promised would only be a fleeting memory.

Kiba had leaped from the countertop and was now merely inches from her. He stood rather beautifully with his hands at his sides and a look of fatigue clearly written across his scratched face.

Although his clothes were torn and filthy, the appearance of a battle-scared angel made Kiba seem anything but real.

"Kiba."

"Acsan." It hurt him to breathe.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The teen girl couldn't bring herself above a whisper.

She watched the white wolf in front of her take two clumsy steps before falling into her reflective embrace. His head lay against her chest, breathing softly in her alluring fragrance.

"Ki-"

"You're bleeding." The boy forced himself softly off of her grabbing her hands and turning them over.

Acsan examined them with him and smiled vaguely. "Well, that's what I get for trying to be loyal daughter."

A sudden thought snapped into her mind.

"Oh crap."

She hastily pulled her hands away from Kiba and stood to her feet searching the area with frantic eyes.

Kiba slowly arose from behind her approaching her side. "What is it?"

"Quent.I came in here to save his old ass."

"Quent?"

Acsan turned around to face the silently confused boy. "Yeah Quent.You know, old guy with a gun tried to kill you and the others. Speaking of which, where are they? If you're here I would expect Hige to be close by."

It was clear to Kiba that the girl still hadn't gotten over what Hige had done to her. He didn't know whether or not he should be happy about that little observation.

Kiba looked at the ground and blinked. "I don't know where they could be.Hige was right behind me when we came in here."

Acsan watched Kiba in silence before they both turned there heads to random sounds.

"What was that?" Acsan asked quickly.

"I don't kn-"

"QUENT!" The girl made a pointless attempt to climb over the circular service counter when clearly she could have just walked around it.

She kneeled on one knee searching through the now dimly lit train station and could only spot twisted shadows and other grotesque substances.

"QUENT!" She heard another sound. "Where is he?" She spoke more to herself. "IF YOU'RE HURT I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"

Kiba watched in quietly as the girl continued to scream out for her father and express a mixer of profanities as well. For only a second, he observed her from behind. Not in a perverted way but with much appreciation for being able to see her again. It was apparent to him that fate or some other power wanted the two to be together even if Acsan may have thought different. For that brief moment, the thought of the two being different didn't matter to him the least.

An abrupt noise caused Kiba's subtle smile to erase as he turned his attention toward it.

"QUENT! QUEN-." Acsan shouts were silenced when a warm hand reached and covered her lips.

She was then pulled off the countertop and in a swift fluid motion her back was against Kiba's firm but soft chest.

Struggling a bit, Kiba released her allowing the girl to turn around still residing between his legs.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ALL ABOUT?!"

Kiba pressed a finger to her lips. "Shh."

"What is it?" The girl whispered.

When Kiba didn't answer, she just followed the direction his deep blue eyes went. As Acsan turned around to look, streams of artificial light graced the battle wounded station. Highlighting areas and briefly soaring across the two teenagers' heads.

The lights were companied by the sounds of footsteps and the random barks and whimpers of dogs.

"IS ANYONE ALIVE IN HERE?" shouted a man.

"Kiba." Acsan whispered. "It's a search team."

"HELLO?" The same man shouted.

"It's okay."

"No it's not okay."

Acsan turned around fully. "What?"

"You're forgetting I'm a wolf."

Acsan looked him over shyly and raised her hands to cup his paling face. "You look human to me."

A rapid flicker of excitement tickled Kiba's stomach but the feeling fell blank on his face.

"WHO'S OVER THERE?" shouted another man. Flashlights shone in their direction and Acsan automatically stood up with Kiba slowly arising at her side.

Acsan involuntarily raised her hands in defense. "Relax, it's just us." The girl could feel her careless Yaiden attitude returning.

The two could see there were five men dressed like police officials all but two with a search dog at their side.

The middle man, who was also the tallest, spoke. "Are you two survivors?"

"No we just came in here to ferociously makeout, of course we are."

The men's flashlights scanned her body a bit more before sliding over to Kiba's.

"You! Young man. Are you two the only survivors?"

"…Perhaps."

Acsan winced at his answer. Did that mean her father was dead? Did that mean he killed him?

One officer took a step forward. "Why don't you kids come outside and get some fresh air? We have an ambulance waiting for you too."

Acsan slowly looked behind her and Kiba nodded strolling up beside her to grab her hand. He carried out the gesture in a hesitant protective way rather than romantic as Acsan thought he was trying to be.

They moved quickly past the officers who dogs started to fidget and growl for some unknown reason at two. When they stepped out into the hazy redness of the afternoon, someone shouted "HEY LOOK!" and the couple found themselves bathed in applause, whistles and camera flashes.

Kiba all the while kept his head down and focused on the pavement as they made their way across the parking lot.

"I didn't expect all this." Acsan remarked softly to him.

"What do you think is the best way out of here?" Kiba seemed to be gazing at her.

"I don't know." Acsan was focusing on the crowd before her. She saw urging newsreporters, camaramen, and random civilians but not sign of her father.

However, there was a symbol of evil gracing the audience.

Kiba noticed the girl uncomfortable growl and questioned it. "What is it?"

"Berrison."

The boy watched as a tall man dressed in white emerge from the crowd and approach the two of them followed by a small group of EMTs.

Kiba entwined his fingers with Acsan's feeling uncomfortable as well. "Who is he?"

"A friend of my dad's. I always believed there was something wrong with him. I believe he's not someone you can trust after all, he knows about our relationship."

Kiba blinked a bit startled at this remark. All of a sudden, he didn't trust Mr. Berrison either.

The boy narrowed his eyes a bit when the eerie man approached the two teens.

"Miss Yaiden.I see you're still alive."

"I bet you're delighted." Acsan spoke cautiously. At this time the paramedics were swarming Kiba and herself but that was the least of her worries.

"Indeed, I **am** delighted to see you in one piece. A beautiful tragedy such as yourself does not deserve to be silenced for good." He lifted her chin a bit and smiled as she pulled away.

His murky eyes looked over to Kiba who was stiff as one female paramedic's hands roamed his body hunting for injuries.

"And who do we have here?" Berrison questioned stepping in front of the blue-eyed boy. The doctor scanned the boy's face and looked over at Acsan without turning his head.

"Is this him?

"What?" Acsan raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"They're ready to go Mr. Berrison." Spoke a paramedic.

"Very well then." The doctor kept his eyes on Kiba. "Why don't you come this way?"

Berrison ushered the two teens across the parking lot, through the crowd of people and into the back of an ambulance. He was surprised they didn't put up much of a fight.

"It's just a few minor bruises and cuts. I don't see why we have to go to the emergency room." Acsan climbed in after Kiba who refused to be touched again by the paramedics.

They sat together across from Mr. Berrison and the EMT truck doors were closed.

Streetlights from the city slid in and out of the vehicle as it drove onto the highway. Inside the truck, everything was quiet and only the soft sounds of rhythm and blues music where heard.

Mr. Berrison's eyes glowed in the darkness and he was only visible when the truck passed under a burst of light.

He smiled at how close the two teens were.Acsan's actually sat between the quiet boy's legs with an arm drape over her shoulder. He was protecting her. Like a dog.

"So what's your name dear boy?" Berrison stared down at the wolf boy making Acsan wonder when the man planned on blinking.

"Why do you wish to know it?" The ambulance truck rocked a bit.

Berrison folded his arms and shrugged lifting his head a bit. He was sitting on a bench built into the wall of the truck. "Oh, I just want to know the name of the man that claimed Miss Yaiden's heart. That's quite a challenge."

"We're no exactly together."

"Oh? Just you hold her so close to you. As if I may snatch her away."

"I hold her this way because she allows me to.Besides; I wouldn't permit you to put your hands on her."

There was a sign of serious warning in Kiba's dark blue eyes. Although he didn't deserve the treasure in his lap, he had all the right to protect her.

Acsan quietly watched the doctor in front of her stare back at the wolf boy behind her. She had the same glare on her face with gray eyes speaking of their own serious warning.

After the awkward silence, Berrison chuckled. "You're a very daring young man but I must remind you. I get whatever I want."

Acsan could feel Kiba tense behind her and she actually felt good about it. She liked the fact that the boy still cared for her…because she was starting to feel the same.

"Where are we headed?" Kiba asked out of the blue.

"To the city hospital. You two are injured, am I correct?"

"We're fine." Acsan finally spoke.

Mr.Berrison brushed over the remark. "You never told me your name, young man."

"Why is it of so much importance to you?"

"What shall I call you if not by your name? Young man? Dear boy?...Wolf?"

A large 'thud' hit the roof of the vehicle and the driver screamed in shock. Everything began to move in slow motion as Kiba and Acsan fell forward and anything that was up became down and anything that was left became right.

There was a loud screech, gigantic blot of flickering light and the last thing Acsan Yaiden saw was exploding glass.

-

Adjusting her eyes to the darkness surrounding her, Acsan woke up to the sound of sirens off in the distance. She suddenly found she was staring at her own knees and was looking up into a hazy night sky.

Medical supplies was shattered everywhere around her and blanketed 60 percent of her body. The first thought of Kiba sprang into her head and she began to panic a little. She wanted to move around and gravity was cruel to her.

Calculating her surroundings with the position she laid in, it was clear to her that the ambulance truck had turned over on its side and must have landed in a ditch head first.

"Kiba?" She whispered lifting herself up.

She dug through the sea of medical supplies and felt something soft. Instantly, she grabbed a hold of it and pulled it to the surface.

It wasn't Kiba.It was Doctor Ron Berrison.

Acsan couldn't figure out if he was alive or not and to her surprise, she found that she didn't care.

She let go of the doctor who sank to the bottom of the truck. Beginning to feel around again, nothing caught her interest. Her only thought was that when the ambulance crashed, Kiba must have been thrown from the vehicle.

Maybe that's why she only could remember the exploding glass…

The image made her winced and her face became wet. Not from her tears but the sudden heavy downpour of rain. She squinted looking up into the roaring sky and began to climb.

With every attempt, Acsan either slipped or caused the truck to sink. She could hear voices speak against the clapping rain but she couldn't understand them.

"Hello?!" Her shouts sounded like whispers. It was pointless.

Gathering another will of strength, Acsan climbed up again this time reaching the edge of the truck's opening.

She also noticed a few wet faces high above her and realized who they were. They were police officers from earlier that afternoon but this time they had a strange look on their faces.

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" One cop shouted in the night.

"I'M FINE….BUT I THINK THE OTHERS ARE INJURED!" A crack of thunder caused Acsan to jump and the trunk sink even more.

The cops looked at one another and talked amongst each other.

Acsan didn't really care what they were conversing over she just wanted to know when the heck she was going to be rescued.

A helicopter flew ahead shining a spotlight straight into the ambulance truck blinding the worried girl.

"MA'AM,I NEED YOU TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE! DON'T MOVE."

Acsan obeyed sliding further back into the truck as it sank slowly with her.As the rain dwelled on,the truck cavity began to fill and Acsan was getting cold.

Her lips had become colorless and her fingertips froze.She pulled her hair,ruby and drenched out of her face and looked up again wondering where on Earth were her rescuers.

She wanted to shout out again but even her throat grew stiff from the cold. Feeling fatigue start to settle in,Acsan began to close her eyes feeling another jerk from the truck.The sinking was making her dizzy and her stomach hurt.

_Oh my God…I'm dying._

She leaned forward involuntarily due to the motion of the sinking vehicle but did not fall. The hand that supported her balance, which was grabbing onto a shelf, was now being caressed by another.

This sudden burst of warmth awakened her as she began to realize she was being pulled out of the truck.

Acsan's gray eyes shot open and she aided her rescuer in pulling her out by scrambling up the vehicle's side.

A piercing metallic snap voiced underneath her releasing the rushing sound that fell around her and she realized the truck was not sinking…it was falling.

Acsan held her breath as the ambulance truck, with its lights still working, pulled away from her before it plummeted several hundred feet into a sea of concrete leaving her engulfed in the arms of her rescuer.

The girl exhaled in the pelting rain and rapidly switched her focus onto her rescuer.

He was as miserably wet as she was with a warm and innocent smile on his face.The embrace he held her in was loose yet close enough to kiss her if he pleased.

"Hige."

"What's up?"

Acsan just stared. The boy thick hair had become rather limp from the night's downpour and his reddish eyes now looked softer and deep.

Hige grabbed her hand and pressed her fingers against his lips. "You can relax, I'm not a ghost."

Acsan snapped back to reality. "Oh! Kiba..he's." She looked over the ledge they stood on but Hige pulled her back slowly.

"He's defiantly not down there." Hige joked.

"Then where is he? Is he alright?"

Hige just smiled pushing the girl stringy red hair behind her ears.Acsan's eyes started to water and she spoke whispery.

"Hige…where is he?"

Hige stared down at the girl with affection and looked up at the searchlight dancing above.

"Come on, we could try climbing the bridge but the cops may get us and you know how I feel about cops.Besides, you're a little slow anyway."

Without warning, Hige scooped Acsan into his arms looking over her wet bruised body before leaping out of the searchlight's range and into the rainy night in the morbid city of Advertine.

-

The helicopter that nearly stopped them overhead made a slowly U-turn before spotting mound of twisted metal that was once an ambulance truck.

The news reporter inside made her report to her news station:

"We are here live over the Kato Luminous Bridge with breaking news. It appears to be, well what use to be, a medical truck of some kind has swerved off the bridge and into the empty Santiago Bayou. I have information from the city officials saving there **were** indeed five people in the vechile.Three adults and two children. We have not yet found if any have survived but my guess is certainly no one could survive a 400 foot drop."

The helicopters swayed in the pouring rain.

"We will have more on this unfolding story and the one about the train station later on. I'm Relita Hanson, signing off."


	23. Thin Line

**Chapter 23**

**Thin Line**

"_Hige was just a waste of my time. Humans and wolves were just not meant to be; and I was just too blind to see that."_

_Kiba gently pulled Acsan into his arms giving her the entire warmth and secretly the love that he had._

_Acsan placed a hand upon his arm. "Kiba."_

"_I don't want you to freeze to death."_

_The girl's eyes suddenly filled with tears. Perhaps Kiba was someone to take in consideration. They fought and fought yet when it came down to survival, he would not let her perish._

_Unbelievable._

_They stood in an embrace for a moment allowing the faint crimson hue to appear on both their faces._

"_About what you said, the whole humans and wolves thing."_

"_Um.Hm."_

"_You're wrong Acsan." Kiba smiled and whispered. "Humans and Wolves are meant to be together. You just happened to meet the wrong wolf."_

_-_

Kiba jolted upward as a loud crack of thunder resounded above him. He adjusted his eyes to the gloomy darkness of what look like an empty loft. The floor where he lay was filthy with newspaper scattered here and there.

The windows were dirty as well with a few of them cracked and discolored by the outdoor elements. From what the wolf could see, it was still a nocturnal and rainy time of day.

Recognizing a silhouette perched on a windowsill, Kiba stared waiting for it to speak. He had to admit he was surprised to see the gray wolf but that emotion never appeared on his face.

"So you finally woke up?" Tsume's low voice carelessly remarked.

Kiba sat on the floor like a child and rustled his own hair deep in thought. He caught his breath.

"Acsan." His eyes widened in remembrance.

"Is it all coming back to you now?" Tsume stood up from his composed spot on the windowsill and approached Kiba with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"Tsume,where is she? What happened to her?"

Tsume grumbled a bit. "I don't exactly know. All I know is Hige had gone after her. He got into this huge fit when I wanted only to save your ass instead of hers."

"…" Kiba looked at the ground in silence. It didn't surprise him that Tsume still hated the human girl.

But more importantly, he needed to know if Acsan was alright and the fact that Hige had access to her was not helping.

"Hey Tsume! They're here!" The two wolves looked over to Toboe whose head was poking through the opened window were Tsume previously sat.

A flash of blue lighting momentarily eliminated the apartment building.

"That was fast." The gray wolf stated.

Kiba arose from his quiet spot on the floor and rushed over to the window where Toboe was.

"Where?" He asked in monotone.

"They just entered the alleyway, c'mon I'll show ya."

Kiba followed the younger boy out the window and onto the fire-escape and stood next to him gripping the iron guardrail.

"See, they're right over there!" Toboe shouted above the clapping rain.

Kiba heard yet ignored him watching Hige and Acsan slowly approach them from below. Suddenly the boy's grip on the railing tightened.

-

"Hige you can put me down now." Acsan nervously chuckled still cradled in the arms of her once magnificent lover.

"But you're injured, we don't even know if you can walk yet."

"If I can stand, I can walk. Besides it's been like 30 minutes now since you picked me up. Time for a break."

In a childish pout, Hige set the girl down, however, keeping his left hand secured on her hip.

Acsan noticed this and blushed a little not out of timidity but discomfort.Hige had been giving her the same lazy smile he always did right before he kissed her and it made the girl sort of sick to her stomach.Nevertheless, she would try to keep a happy expression on her face as not to raise questions.

"Hige!" A youthful voice called out.

Both teens looked up to see Toboe waving happily on the fire-escape in the chilly rain. He grinned adorably and so did Acsan, both completely oblivious to the deadly glares Hige and Kiba were exchanging.

Absent-mindedly, Hige pulled _his_ human girl closer to him and Acsan blinked startled. She turned her attention back to Toboe and Kiba, relieved that he was safe, and listened to his cutely shouted questions.

"Are you okay?!"

"Yeah,I'm fine!"

"Okay..Oh! You better hurry and get up here! You don't want to catch a cold!"

"Yes Mother!" Acsan joked.

Toboe raised an eyebrow at her before smiling finally getting the joke.

Acsan's eyes scanned over to Kiba who stared straight back at her with wet strands of dark hair kissing his forehead and cheeks. He had a look of hesitation on his face and as strange as it felt, Acsan wanted to run up there and ease him.

She jumped feeling Hige arms snake around her waist. She grabbed them softly looking over her shoulder.

"Hige?" Her lips were so close to meeting his.

"I was going to carry you up those stairs."

Acsan chuckled completely uncomfortable with Hige's romantics. "No, no that's alright.I think I can handle a few steps."

Hige turned her around by her shoulders. "A few steps? This is 4 flights of stairs we're talking about."

"I can handle it." Acsan's voice sounded more determined.

Hige scratched the back of his head and sighed. "Alright babe. If you think you can handle it."

Acsan winced at the word, "babe". Normally it would have made her heart flutter but not this time. It felt weird.

The two teenagers proceeded towards the fire escape that began with a metallic ladder that hung 3 feet above the cement ground. Hige offered to assist Acsan in getting up the steps but the girl quickly declined already in the process of ascending.

The iron steps were slippery and Acsan often found herself or rather her waist in the hands of Hige as he steadied her up the stairs.

Short moments later, Acsan completed her last steps and smiled bumping into the warm embrace of Toboe.He was delighted to see her again. It was like a reunion between old friends and Acsan thought it was cute.

"You're here." The young boy spoke into her arms.

"Thanks for speaking the obvious." Acsan joked well aware of the awkward silence underneath the roaring rain.

Hige stood behind the human girl glaring at Kiba who was still leaning against the guardrails. The rain had completely seeped through his tattered clothes and all his cuts and scrapes had been cleaned. Though he looked battle-wounded, his face spoke the opposite.

"Kiba?" The two rivals turned their attention to Acsan. "Are you alright?"

The girl approached him gradually and ran her fingers through his hair which slowly detangled.

"What about you?" Kiba stopped himself from mirroring the girl's actions.

"You didn't answer my question." Acsan smiled playfully yanking at Kiba's dripping locks.

Glancing over at Hige who was actually looking up into the sky,Kiba spoke. "Let's get inside." He ushered her with a hand on her back; a gesture that did not cause any amount of discomfort to Acsan.

The city glowed in the muggy night and soon the rain had stopped. Stray droplets skied down the window Acsan was looking out of and she wondered how her father was doing.

As ambulance signals echoed in the distance, Kiba approached the girl's side focusing only on her.

"What is it?"

Acsan sighed and searched the urban scenery for answers. "I don't know. All kinds of things are going through my head right now."

Kiba leaned against the windowsill turning more to her. "You had a very upsetting day."

Acsan sarcastically chuckled. "Traumatic is more like it. And to think I could have died twice already."

"But you didn't." Acsan softly smiled catching the boy's blue eyes gazing into hers.

"Yeah, you didn't thanks to me!" Hige shouted not too far away. He rested his hands behind his head and advanced towards the couple.

"Of course. Thank you Hige for rescuing me."

Hige turned his head to the side and smirked. "Yeah, well.It's the least I could do.Besides, it's not like Mr. Leader over there could do it."

The cocky teenager smiled mischievously at Kiba whose facial expression evolved in a stern threatening look.

Acsan grinned unsure of what to do. "That reminds me." She looked at Kiba. "If Hige was the one who saved me, who saved you?"

"Tsume did."

The tallest of the wolf pack was leaning against a pillar in the middle of the empty loft. He acknowledged the remark by looking out a window and grumbling.

"How long is she going to be here?" He asked impatiently.

Hige wanted to answer with something witty but Toboe interrupted walking over to the gray wolf.

"Aw c'mon Tsume.She just got here and she's probably really cold and tired-"

"And hungry." Acsan nervously chuckled.

Hige smiled clapping his hands together. "Then let's go get you something to eat."

Before the girl knew it, Acsan found her fingers entwined with Kiba's. "Wait."

"For what?" His rival questioned inches away from grabbing Acsan's other hand.

"We can go out there just yet." Kiba's voice sounded full of leadership.

Hige folded his arms. "So you want Acsan to starve that's it?"

"No. I just think we should wait awhile considering the authorities are probably still out there."

"And that's a danger? We've avoided humans far more dangerous than police officers!"

"But there's something that you didn't take in to consideration."

Hige raised an eyebrow and waited for the white wolf to continue.

"Unlike you, Toboe, and Tsume, Acsan and I were in the public's point of view. There were cameras out and I'm positive they were taping us."

"Hey that's right." Acsan agreed in remembrance.

"That still doesn't explain why **I **can't go out there."

"You can go if you wish, Hige.But you're not taking Acsan with you."

Hige glared in pure hatred at the dark-haired boy and shifted to Acsan. "If I can't take her, then how will I know what she wants?"

Kiba didn't have an answer for this one.

"Hey, as long as it's cooked and it's not licorice I don't care what you bring me." The girl joked smiling at Hige whose expression slowly brightened.

"Okay. Then I'm off!" Hige announced oddly confident exiting the loft through the same window Tsume was looking out of.

The leathery-clad man shook his head and folded his arms. "Wouldn't be surprised if that idiot got himself in trouble." He sighed. "Might as well follow up behind him."

He turned to the others in the room.Toboe, as usual, was watching him attentively while Kiba gave all his attention to the human girl he cared for dearly.

It was sickening.

"Hey Toboe!"

"Yes?" His ears perked up at the sound of the older wolf's voice.

"Come with me. We're going to look after Hige."

"Oh Okay." The young boy looked back at Acsan.

"Go on Toboe.We'll be fine." The girl reassured with a pat on his head.

Toboe nodded and ran over to Tsume before the two wolves escaped out the window.

Uneasy and quiet, Acsan looked at her shoes while her admirer kept his cobalt eyes fastened on her.

"I see you and Hige haven't made up yet." Acsan mumbled.

"Yes. He's very protective of you."

"Ha. I noticed." The girl walked away from the window and Kiba followed sitting next to her on the floor near a dusty fireplace.

"I also noticed you're a bit protective yourself,Kiba."

Kiba blinked a little surprise before looking across the room. "I believe that's the only thing Hige and I have in common."

"Most likely."

"I forgot."

"Hm?"

"I forgot to see if you're okay."

Acsan smoothly laughed showing her teeth. She pulled her knees up so her elbows could rest on them. "I'm okay….at least physically."

Kiba scanned her over to see if the girl was right. "You have a lot of scratches."

"They're most likely from the truck accident." She looked at her forearm and then her palm. A thin stream of dried blood made a trail between the two.

The unspoken boy reached up and took a hold of her arm observing it himself.

"Nothing deep."

Acsan smiled in amusement at Kiba's concern for her but the pleasant hilarity quickly fizzled out watching her hand reach the boy's soft lips.

Gently and with an overload of butterflies in his stomach, Kiba pressed his tongue against the palm of Acsan's hand. His eyes were closed deeply concentrating on cleaning the wound but it was impossible to lie to his heart.

"Kiba?" Acsan couldn't breath. Her diaphragm froze and blood rushed to her cheeks.

Kiba's dark hair, now stringy and slightly damp, fell over his eyes that finally opened and burrowed into hers.

They were the same as they were that day; deep swirling pools of mysterious blue. He kept them on her as his innocent cleaning turned into one sweet kiss against her fingers.

Placing her blessed hand against his face to where her thumb grazed the corner of his lips, Kiba watched her patiently.

It was obvious to Acsan that the boy loved her yet she couldn't return the feelings himself. It had nothing to do with attraction. She defiantly felt something for the wolf.

But at this very moment, everything inside the girl's body was either frozen or blank.Plus, Hige was popping up in her mind and that wasn't making her feel any better.

Kiba blinked slowly sliding the girl's hand away from his face. He could feel Acsan's uneasiness and didn't want to challenge it.

"I'm glad you're alive, Acsan." He whispered keeping the girl's fingers entwined with his.

Acsan nodded.

"So am I!"

The two jumped as Hige entered the room with a plastic bag in hand. He stood gathering the sight that he saw before him and his smile tottered. Seeing Kiba holding Acsan's hand burned his very soul but he grinned nevertheless.

Hige strolled over to the couple and kneeled placing his plastic bag on the floor between them.

"I've got bologna, bottled water and bread. Hope you're hungry!" He remarked cheerfully pulling the items out of the bag.

When his rival and goddess didn't answer looking impassive at the floor and then at each other, Hige's grin formed into a sly smirk noticing the intimate gesture.

He tilted his head to the side and looked at Kiba. "Did I interrupt something?"

Acsan shifted as she watched the two wolves engage into a wordless argument. Just then, Toboe and Tsume entered through the window.

"Hey bologna!" Toboe shouted. "Save some for me!"

He was about to join the three teens on the floor when one of Tsume's guiding hands caught the boy by the shoulder.

"Wait."

Neither Hige nor Kiba had blinked and the gray wolf had a feeling something rather entertaining was going to commence.


	24. Enough

**Chapter 24**

**Enough**

**(A/N:Just so you ladies know, I loved Hige before I loved Kiba)**

The abandoned loft echoed with the sound of rustling plastic and mumbling.Toboe sat near Tsume on the floor chewing timidly watching Acsan and her two admirers eat by her side.

Hige focused on his food every now and then looking up to see if Kiba dared to make any contact with the human girl.

He didn't.

Since the room was uncomfortably quiet, Acsan decided to liven it up with a little small talk directed randomly at Hige.

"So Hige, where did you find this food?"

"Do you like it?"

"It's delicious!" She spoke sarcastically. Bologna was alright to her. It wasn't nasty, really.

Hige chuckled a bit pleased that the redhead was talking to him and not Kiba, who nibbled silently at his sandwich. He decided to continue the conversation.

"I found it in this little market. Some old lady runs it I think and she gave it to me."

Tsume raised an eyebrow and Toboe lifted his head confused. "Hey Hige,I don't remember the lady handing you anything.Actually,I don't remember her even seeing you-"

"OKAY! Thank you ,Toboe." Hige interrupted.

Acsan only smiled and bit at her sandwich again.

Kiba had finished his sandwich and stretched out his legs before rising to his feet. "I don't understand why you're so uptight, Hige."

Hige turned to brunette looking down at him "What?"

"You steal on a daily basis. That's how you survive."

Hige twitched. "Well, I'm not the only one. What about you? How do you eat? I'm pretty sure no one hands you food on a silver platter."

"You're right. And I'm not ashamed of that."

"Who ever said I was ashamed?!" Hige raised his voice.

"You don't have to lie to impress someone." Kiba really didn't want to bring Acsan into the heated conversation.

"Well maybe if you just minded your own damn business, this wouldn't have been a problem!"

"And if you were paying attention, you would realize I wasn't the one who started this argument." Kiba's blue eyes directed toward Toboe briefly.

Hige smirked dropping his sandwich. It made a plopping sound on the dirty gray floor.

"You know, ever since I found something other than that stupid paradise to chase after, you've been a real bastard Kiba."

"My dreams have nothing to do with Acsan."

"I never said anything about Acsan."

"Yes, although I know that's exactly what you are getting at."

Hige rose to his feet and approached Kiba with a sense of superiority in his stance.

"Okay. I admit it. Maybe that _is_ what I'm getting at. Maybe I don't like you. Maybe I don't like that fact that you are trying to take something that is rightfully mine. Someone that never even gave a crap about you in the first place."

All the while,Acsan sat in soundless observation, reevaluating the boys making a clicking sound with her mouth.

Seeing the uneasiness in Kiba's eyes, Hige took another step forward, this time enough to kiss the boy…if he wished.

As their eyes connected, he whispered, "You need to understand that she wants nothing to do with you. So back off and go back to that little _flower girl_ of yours." Hige looked down at the floor in wicked amusement. "Sure she may not have a brain and is plain as hell, but then again she smells pretty good. I sure you two will go nice together…if you ever get her back that is."

Hige gave Kiba a mischievous wink and smile which was erased as quickly as it appeared.

Nothing could jolt Acsan's heart more than the sound of a body colliding with another…or a fireplace.

Glass and ceramics fell and exploded onto the dusty floor as Hige's back made contact with the old fireplace mantle that began to split against his weight.

The attractive boy with a yellow hoodie pushed himself away from the mantle and flexed his fingers making them crack and pop. He and Kiba had been waiting for this day and all there was left to do was wait for who would make the first move.

Within a flash, scratching, biting and the occasional growls commenced. Hige made as many attempts as he could to injure the white wolf that stole all his happiness fighting as brilliant and precise as his counterpart.

As teeth connected with flesh and blood splattered, Acsan watched in horror as Hige finally pinned Kiba's arms to the floor.He panted over the beautiful boy grinning evilly in victory.

"You're getting weak." The cocky boy remarked. "At least when Acsan was with me, I could still keep my strength up."

Kiba tried to reach for Hige's throat in an honest attempt to tear it out. "But you couldn't keep her could you? No. Not with all the pain and fright you've bestowed upon her."

Hige roared and delivered the back of his hand across Kiba's face. "Shut up! You know nothing about the relationship between us!"

"What relationship? I haven't seen her touch you at all."

Although the atmosphere was heated and deadly, Kiba's voice remained so calm. Very little anger escaped his lips and it drove Hige insane.

"Damnit!" He punched Kiba's side. "She was mine. I worked so hard to get her. She was my property and you had no right to take her! You didn't even like her!"

The whole time, Tsume and Toboe were quiet spectators while Acsan listened in on every word the boys were presenting. Her face was not saddened nor was it angry but she had reached an understanding of the two and decided to end the battle before it got worse.

"Every night I have to dream of you with her-" In the middle of trying to make Kiba bleed, Hige turned his attention towards the human girl he loved so darely.If that's what it was…love.

Acsan stood with her arms dangling at her sides and her hair tangled and damp. She seemed tired and emotionless with the moonlight bleaching her paling face.

"That's enough, Hige." She spoke in a strong demanding tone, like an empress to a disloyal servant.

The two boys pulled anyway from each other, one keeping his wide eyes on her and the other far too humiliated to even look.

It was obvious who the girl cared for and it was obvious who deserved to be alone again in this world.

Acsan sighed with a depressive grin pushing her hair behind her ears. "Damn." She searched for words shaking her head. "I did not expect this kind of crap to happen in my life."

She licked her lips and made her way over to an open window scratching her head.

The admirers watched calm and uneasy.Hige stood to his feet.

"Hey, hey wait a minute, that's it?!"

Acsan had one leg outside. "What?"

"That's it. You're not going to choose or do something?!" His voice was flustered and hasty.

Acsan sighed leaning against the window pane and blew her hair away from her eyes.

She looked outside and then back at the brown wolf. "Look Hige, I'm wet, I'm tired and I'm still kind of hungry.Plus, I have no idea where the hell my father is!" She threw her hands up.

"I don't have time for this and I sure as hell don't want to hear it."

"You can't just blow this off and pretend nothing's going on, Acsan.You are playing with our emotions, you cannot do that!"

The higher Hige's voice rose, the more it sounded annoying to Acsan.

"I've tried my hardest to do everything right for you and this is how you repay me?!Kiba doesn't understand shit about you. He's probably doing this for some dumbass reason! I don't know. Maybe he's jealous. He doesn't like what you and I hav-"

"YOU AND I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING!" Acsan shouted over the boy. Her voice carried in the night air.

Hige's facial expressions sank. "What?"

The pitiful and heartbroken look on the brown wolf's face actually hurt to witness.Acsan lowered her voice but kept its strength.

"You're protective and bossy and scary at times."Acsan did not dare to look the boy in the face. She lifted her fist to speak and dropped it.

"I gotta go."

No one moved as the teenage girl climbed out the window and no one spoke as they heard her descend down the slippery iron steps of the fire escape.

Toboe and Tsume turned their attention to the abandoned boys. They were both staring at the floor in depressive silence.

Toboe looked up at Tsume. "Hey Tsume, what now?"

The gray wolf said nothing.

-

Wandering the streets like an urban misfit, Acsan shoved her hands in her pockets cutting through dirty alleyways and passing into the more lively and rich parts of Advertine City.

She kept her face down, away from the traffic lights, giant plasma screens and neon signs that bombarded her with happy times and liquor.

Young lovers and partygoers of the night were out, frolicking and flirting with one another completely unaware of the melancholy figure that walked among them.

Acsan sighed plopping on a city bench watching the many taxis and people pass by. The digital clock on a black skyscraper blinked 12:08 in green lights and the girl gave up.

She had nowhere to look and had no idea where the city's hospital was located if that was where her father was residing. She lifted her gaze to the nightly heavens and cursed.

The good thing was, the sirens and helicopters were gone and no one knew her name. She was forgotten and invisible to the public's eye once again.

"Excuse me, miss-Acsan was it?" A feminine voice spoke beside her causing the girl to shift her eyes to the left.

"Huh?" Acsan lifted herself up. "Mrs. Berrison?"

The older female smiled halfway looking nervous and unhappy.

"Hello,you…remember me?"

Acsan's eyebrows lowered. "How could I forget?You're the lady who called me rude and disrespectful."

"Well,that's because it's true."

"Look,I'm having a bad day so you can just go to hell." The girl folded her arms and looked off into the night.

"I'm sorry dare.I did not come here to anger you.I was actually searching for you."

Acsan turned back to her,stoplights turning her face bright red. "What?"

"You see,I received this call early today about my husband's death.They said he was in the ambulance truck with you,as well as another boy."

Acsan blinked and continued to listen.

"The investigators only found the paramedics and my husband.So I hoped that you and the other were still alive."

Acsan smirked and shakily said,"Surprise." Lifting her arms lazily and dropping them again.

"He was so young." Mrs. Berrison was speaking of her husband. As sad as it was, there was no remorse in her mature face.

"You seem rather calm after losing the love of your life." Acsan watched on.

"I've cried for far too long. I have no more tears to shed."

"Hm."

The two women looked off into the nightlife of Advertine City both loving the breeze but hating the pollution that came with it.

"This place is nothing like my hometown."

"Where are you from?"

"New Hope." It didn't bother Acsan anymore to be talking to the wife of a strange doctor.He was dead now so there was no reason to hate.Plus,it was rather disrespectful.

"That's a very small town."

"Yep.We don't have all this kind of stuff. We don't have enough money to support it."

"How sad." Mrs. Berrison spoke in honest pity. She couldn't imagine a life without technology and riches.

Acsan scratched the back of her head trying to ignore the bond they were creating. "Yeah well,we get around.Quent and I-"

She stopped mid-sentence. Her father. He was still missing.

"Quent,he's your father right?"

"Yes."

"He's been looking for you."

Acsan's gray eyes lightened. "He is!"

"Yes,he actually told me to come find you."

"Wait a minute. He's alive?!"

Mrs. Berrison nodded.

"And you it took you this long to tell me?!"

"I thought you knew.Quent told me of how free of a spirit you are."

"And where is he now?"

"At the Brookville Avenue Café just a few blocks away."

"What?!" The girl stood up starling a few civilians passing by.

"Yes. He was released from the hospital hours ago. I advised him to stay because of all the bruises and nasty cuts but he told me all he needed was a little alcohol in him."

Acsan rolled her eyes. "Ptf. That sounds like Quent." She mumbled under her breath.

"Will you take me to him?"

Mrs. Berrison smiled and uncrossed her legs to stand up. She was about as tall as the girl.

The woman held up a gloved finger. "On one condition."

"Huh?"

"You promise to call your father by his proper name, "Father".

Acsan smacked the lady's finger away. "To hell with that, just take me to him."

The females cut through the night's hustle and bustle, and crowded city streets, reaching the Brookville Avenue Café' in no time flat.

Before Mrs.Berrison could reach the doorhandle, Acsan busted through the door colliding with the sounds of Blues music and the clinking of glass.

With gray eyes swimming through the crowded café, the teenager found her father in the corner near a window drinking a tall glass of Scotch.

"Quent!"

The old, rugged man looked up about to take another swing at his drink.

"Acsan?What the hell?"

The old man didn't even need to get up.For some strange reason,the thought of Quent's daughter running towards him with tears in her eyes startled him.

The teenager collapsed in his arms knocking over his booze. Confused and a little drunk,Quent patted his daughter on the head and shook his head at her girly actions.

Mrs. Berrison looked on smiling warmly as well as the sorrow-filled blue eyes outside the busy café.

He pressed his soft fingertips against the glass, biting his lip at the sight of his heart's treasure.She was happy now,at least he thought so,and he decided it was best to leave her alone for the rest of the night.

As some drunkards inside began to sing with a piano, the homeless, loveless boy slid his fingertips off the window and into his pockets.

Blinking and allowing the wind to play with his dark hair, he smiled a bit and disappeared into the urban night.


	25. Departure

**Chapter 25**

**Departure**

By a matter of three weeks and high-tech equipment and staff, Adventine City's Train Station was up and running again already crowded with the wealthy.

During her "vacation" away from those who she wished not to ponder about,Acsan spent most of her time roaming the streets dipping into music shops and such with no apparent impulse to buy anything.

It was around 5 in the morning and Acsan's body was still begging her for sleep. It moved effortlessly, nonetheless, carrying itself through the small gathering of pedestrians who fluttered passed her laughing and whatnot.

She had a new set of headphones now, a friendly gift from Mrs. Berrison, and they treated her well.

As the calming tunes of a song from the past infiltrated her senses, she looked up into the heavens that were light gray and blushing towards the East.

The atmosphere was misty and the girl's faded gray jeans, another gift from Lady Berrison, felt moist.

Nevertheless, she walked on viewing the people, cars and buildings in a new way as they passed by her representing a different structure of existence.

She pulled a small piece of paper about of her pocket remembering something her father told her before she slammed the door on his voice. This morning he had been teasing her about her odd behavior those many nights before and Acsan knew her father would never stop blabbing about it.

Entering a shop on her left named, "The Bum's Euphoria",Acsan noticed the few eyes glancing up at her before going back to whatever they were focusing on.

To put it bluntly, Acsan was in a liquor store and her father, lazy and frustrated, had sent her on a mission to retrieve his much needed alcohol.

Approaching the front counter, the girl waited her turn patiently looking at the floor and around the store.

"Next!"

Acsan jumped at the sound of the burly store owner's voice. She took a step closer and pulled her headphones off placing Quent's beer list on the table.

The store owner glanced at the list then looked at the girl. He seemed uninterested.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah.Can you tell me if you have any of these?"

The store owner picked up the piece of paper and squinted. "You sure you're old enough to drink?"

"It's not for me. It's for my dad."

"Oh really?" The man was no impressed. "You think I'm stupid or something?"

"What?"

"You don't think I get kids like you everyday coming in here looking for booze?!" The man crumbled the list and threw it at Acsan striking her forehead.

"Get the hell out of my store!"

Feeling wrongly accused and far too insensitive to even care, Acsan left the store pulling her headphones back on and giving a middle finger salute goodbye.

It may not have been the first time she had been treated crudely but it didn't have to be that way. There was no reason for it.

"Guess Quent doesn't get his liquor." She mumbled. A taxi passed in front of her screeching to a stop.

A few heads as well as hers turned to the sound of honking and a bald-headed man poking his head outside the taxi and cussing.

Like every civilian in Adventine, the viewers turned and went back to living their daily lives while Acsan kept her eyes glued on the scene.

He stood like a depressive angel, hands daggling and clothes tattered. His hair remained a rich dark chocolate color that gathered the morning mist.

"Damn." Acsan whispered more out of surprise than admiration.

His eyes connected with hers as if he heard her voice and being a wolf, he probably did seeing as they were only yards away from each other.

Completely ignoring the rules of the road, the two teens entered the morning traffic causing cars to screech and random people to cuss, yell, or say whatever they thought of the oblivious young fools.

They met in the middle of a crosswalk, standing perfectly still.Acsan removed her headphones seeing the boy's lips move.

"I haven't seen you in a while. I was wondering if you were alive and still in the city."

Acsan exhaled and smiled at her feet before looking up. "Well-"

A loud honk interrupted her comment.

"Oh COME ON! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, GET OUT OF THE STREET!!!"

Acsan looked startled and Kiba remained unresponsive.

"MOVE IT! YOU'RE HOLDING UP TRAFFIC!"

As the two stared at the taxi driver shouting at them, Acsan made the first attempt to obey.

"Oops." Acsan mumbled grabbing Kiba's wrist. She pulled him to the sidewalk and the two watched the taxi driver race off into the distance.

"I expected you to still be here." Acsan spoke observing traffic. "Hige too."

Kiba said nothing, just watched the world awaken.

"Is he mad at me?"

"And what if he is?"

Acsan smirked softly and repeated in a gentler voice. "And what if he is?" She changed the subject.

"Hey! Where's the pack?"

"Eating, hunting, waiting. I'm not certain."

They began to walk together with no clear destination in mind.

"Waiting,huh? For what?"

"For me. That night ago, I left with the initial plan to go find you. I did, however I did not wish to bother you for the rest of the night. I planned on speaking with you the following day but it was hard to pick up your scent again."

"Hm." Acsan nodded thoughtfully. "You could of just stocked me. It would have been easier."

Kiba frowned innocently. "I'm not a stocker. I prefer to stick to my own ways of tracking without stealing one of Hige's."

Acsan smiled at the boy's living hatred. "How is he?"

"I don't know. The last I saw of him was when we fought over me leaving the apartment. I climbed out the window before he had a chance to stop me. I couldn't stand how irrational he was being."

"So where have you been staying since the fight?"

Kiba nodded towards the soaring digital clock tower, whose time was unreadable due to the low set morning clouds.

"Up there?" Acsan shielded her eyes from the hazy sunlight.

"Yes."

"Looks creepy."

"It's actually rather comfortable." Kiba turned to the girl who stared at the tower with an exaggerated look on her face.

"Kiba, you're the bravest boy I ever knew. The bravest **wolf** I ever knew."

The boy smiled at her comment as Acsan finally met his longing gaze. While searching his face, she waited for him to speak.

"It's not that scary once you're up there. Would you like to see?" Kiba held out his hand inches away from grasping Acsan.

"Um." She looked at the tower and then back at the wolf boy. "Sorry Kiba, I'll have to pass."

A slight tingle of disappointment poked Kiba's facial expression. "What is it?"

Searching for words, the girl replied, "I'm leaving. The train station is back up and my dad's pretty tired of the city life. He's afraid he's going to die here or something like that."

"Are you going home? Back to New Hope?"

"Yeah."

"I see." Kiba was feeling that separation feeling again and he truly hated it.

He wanted to be near her 24/7 but that couldn't happen seeing as her father already knew of his secret and would possibly try to stop him resulting in a terrible mess he would have to listen to Hige pester him about for days.

Acsan noted the barely visible sadness in Kiba's face and had the urge to touch him. The truth of the matter was she loved the wolf, even if she constantly fought the reality of it all.

Plus, the image of Kiba following the girl's scent through snow, sleet, and sandstorms did make Acsan want to get on her knees and cry with sympathy.

"When are you leaving?" Kiba shot out another question.

"Whenever my father gets those tickets from Mrs. Berrison."

"Berrison? The doctor's…wife."

"Yeah.Turns out she's not as creepy as her husband. Anyways, maybe we can try to sneak you on board." Acsan grinned poking Kiba in the ribs. She had no idea why she did that.

Ignoring the peculiarity of her own behavior, she stretched out her hand and waited for Kiba to grasp it.

"So what do you say?"

"Your father will recognize me."

"My father can barely remember his name half the time."

Kiba stared at the girl's awaiting hand and without any thought, captured it with his own.

The pair descended down the streets of Adventine City until they made it to the same café Kiba had found Acsan in that night many days ago.

The door jingled as they entered the nearly empty café. The room was warm and smelled of cinnamon with a saxophone player practicing in the corner.

Once again, by the window, Quent sat looking very annoyed with a woman Kiba guessed was Mrs. Berrison by the way Acsan looked at the lady as well.

The older couple turned to the sound of Acsan's voice. "Hey dad." She shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Hey Acsan." Quent sounded bothered. "I see yur lookin' better-hey where's my beer?"

Acsan shrugged wanting to take a seat. "The liquor store guy didn't want to give it to me."

Quent mumbled disappointed. "Aw-what-that son of a bitch! What are you? Like 20-something?"

"I'm still a teenager, Quent."

"Father." Mrs. Berrison interrupted trying to correct her.

"Tickets." The girl replied.

"They're right here." The lady flipped her hair about to pull them about of her purse when a pair of beautiful blue eyes stole her attention.

She lifted her head and smiled truly intrigued with the lean boy standing next to Acsan.

"Acsan."

"What?"

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" She was grinning now clearly attracted to Kiba who returned her a confused expression.

"Wha? Oh, this is Kiba." Acsan turned to pull the boy closer for the woman and her father to see.

"Kiba, this is my dad and -."

"I'm Mrs. Berrison pleased to meet you." The lady announced rising from her seat and taking the wolf boy's hand.

"You didn't have to interrupt me." Acsan mumbled.

As Mrs.Berrison kept Kiba busy with her rambling, Acsan approached her father who was busy finding the tickets in the lady's purse.

The teenaged girl sat next to her father watching him caring less about how wrong it was to dig through someone else's belongings.

She rested her elbow on the table, allowing her fist to support her chin. "So dad?"

"Geez, how much lipstick does one woman need?"

"Dad."

"What the hell is this?... What?" He asked his daughter still digging through the black bag.

"I was just wondering. Would it be okay if a friend of mine joined us?"

"A friend? What, did you meet him in the city?"

"Mm. Hm." She sounded bored.

"That fast?" Quent briefly looked up seeing Mrs. Berrison flirting away with Kiba.Nothing clicked. "Whatever. There's three tickets in here so it'll work."

"Wait, there's three?" Acsan lifted herself up looking over her father's shoulder examining the tickets.

"Yeah.One for you. One for me. And one your friend over there.Berrison must have been planning ahead."

"More like planning to leave with us." Acsan whispered clearly shocked.

"Wait a minute." Quent turned to look at his daughter. "You mean to tell me this is the first time those two met?"

"Yeah."

Quent frowned at this and rubbed his forehead sighing.

Acsan folded her arms shifting her posture. "If you ask me, I think the lady's got the hots for you,Quent."

"No thanks. I don't need anymore women in my life."

"Like you had any. So how are we going to get out of this?"

-

Kiba was getting annoyed and uncomfortable. Never in his life has he been near a woman so extroversive and touchy. Every exclamation that came from the woman's mouth was followed with either a lean-in or a leg squeeze and the only person he would appreciate that from was Acsan.

He glanced over to the girl, she looked much better than Mrs. Berrison, and pleaded with her silently to rescue him using those mysterious cobalt eyes of his.

Acsan shoved her hands into her back pockets. "Mrs. Berrison?"

The woman turned.

"We're ready to go but first my father and I have to go get something from the liquor store."

Berrison beamed. "Oh that's alright.I'll just stay here and keep Kiba company." She giggled leaning into him and her right hand went too far.

"Actually." The brunette spoke very soft. "I believe I should go with you two." He rose from his seat allowing the woman's hand to slide off his jeans. "You may need my help."

Quent rose from his seat as well hiding the tickets in his tattered coat. "Alright.So just stay here Maryanne, okay?"

"Oh.Alright.But do hurry back."

Acsan and Kiba were already out the door waiting for Quent to finish his hasty conversation with Maryanne.

The alcohol-deprived man stepped outside closing the café door behind him. His tired eyes met Kiba's and they both just stood there.

One nervous.

The other….

"Son, you know where we can find some good stuff, right?"

Kiba blinked taken aback. "Y-yes."

He really didn't.Acsan knew he didn't.

Quent scratched the back of his head and inhaled the morning's air before blowing it out looking at his daughter.

"He doesn't know does he?"

Kiba shook his head looking at Acsan and then off in the distance. The girl was nearly giggling at him.

"Aw geez.Well, come on you two we'll go find one somewhere." The really tired man turned and began to walk down the street mumbling, "I need a cigarette."

Kiba's eyes widen a little. He was amazed that the man did not remember him. His astonishment stopped feeling Acsan playfully poke him in the stomach.

"See. I told you he wouldn't remember you."

Her smile warmed the wolf's heart and at that moment, he truly thought everything would be okay. He watched the girl as she hustled to keep up with her father and when she noticed Kiba wasn't moving at all, she advanced towards the boy and pulled on his jacket.

"Let's go. My dad won't wait for you…trust me."

"Come on you two, we'll be late to the station.Plus; I need a beer…and a cigarette."

-

Smoke rolled through the Adventine station as train number 23 T.B. arrived right in front of its passengers.

Quent stood careless as the wealthy choked and gagged on the train's black fumes…and his fumes. While he stood in the front of the line, Acsan and Kiba were about 8 people behind standing close to one another watching civilians exit the large locomotive.

Kiba remained detached once more thinking of the departure he was about to make. He would be leaving his pack, his dreams and all his hard work for one person. Was it the right thing to do and was it for good?

The dark haired boy glanced at his partner-to-be and smiled warmly at her. She was beautiful and comparing her to paradise seemed ridiculous.

Acsan met his thoughtful gaze and smirked. "What?"

"Nothing." He watched the girl look ahead of them.

"Hey, we're moving."

They approached the train, pinkies hooked, with tickets in the other hand. After exchanging the rectangle pieces of paper with a stamp on the wrist, the couple boarded the train.

Inside, the locomotive was gorgeous with maroon velvet and gold trim gracing every section of the train. After spotting Acsan's father, the two made their way over passing a few wealthy riders that gave the teens judgmental glares.

Completely full, the conductor made one last call before shutting the doors and directing the train to pull off slowly.

Quent sat beer-less grumbling while looking through a magazine. "If there isn't any good food on this train I'll-"

"Yeah, yeah dad." Acsan had a knee pressed against her chest and was sitting next to a quiet Kiba who was looking out the window.

He watched as hundreds of fiancés, spouses, children and others waved goodbye to their loved ones on the 23 T.B.The train station looked different to him. It was happy and honest and this kind of made the wolf want to smile at the amiability of it all.

But that action never came.

Amongst the joyous and successful, were the eyes of the past. Golden and shades of reddish-brown, they stared back at Kiba missing him, disapproving of him, and hating him.

He exhaled slowly in surprise that was loud enough for only Acsan to hear.

She grabbed his hand and he turned to her loving the wispy look of her red hair.

"You alright?"

"Yes. Just-" He looked back out the window and the eyes amongst the crowd had vanished. "I've never been on a train before."

Acsan identified with his statement.

Kiba felt his heart ease again and he silently closed the blinds nevermore wanting to see the sights of Adventine City.

-

Pouty and annoyed, Mrs. Berrison stood outside Brooksville Avenue Café' looking to her left and right. She had checked her purse and it was clear to her that Acsan's beautiful blue-eyed friend was not coming back.


	26. Going Forward Slowly

**Chapter 26**

**Going Forward…Slowly**

"HEY YOU, COME BACK HERE!"

My heart seemed to have jumped into my lungs as they inhaled the cold smoke-filled air. I was had been running, we had been running, down an old cobblestone path leading into an apartment alleyway deep inside the town of New Hope.

Acsan, just like me, was soaked from head to toe in sweat. We had nearly escaped.

I never expected this to happen. I thought starting this new life with her would erase all the negativity and turmoil but I was deathly wrong.

About 4 hours ago, Ascan, her father and I arrived at New Hope's train station feeling tired and content. As the train began to stop, we had been talking about what life would be like with me living in a society of humans instead of my usual pack.

It was hard to think about them…when she came to mind. I hope that doesn't make me selfish.

The train station as I expected was crowded and nerve-racking. I noticed the great difference of people compared to Adventine's populace. The social groups were vast and there were many ethnicities surrounding us. There were kind people and then there were rude people but I guess you can find personality differences anywhere.

Nevertheless what I focused on the most was the certain abnormal atmosphere sweeping through the station.Acsan noticed nothing and Quent was far too busy smoking to even care.

There were a lot of military men around dressed in gray camouflage and holding black weapons. They looked suspicious observing everyone behind dark sunglasses. Now that I think about it, the sun wasn't even out.

The majority of the militants were posted outside the main entrance and exit leaving me feeling extremely cautious.

I grabbed hold of Acsan's hand informing her about the apprehensive guests that were waiting for us at the exit. She nodded understandingly and kept her focus on the outlet.

"Quent Yaiden!" We heard someone shout with authority.

The three of us turned to see a small group of militants approach us. Before anyone could ask, they explained their reason for being in town.

Apparently, there was a manic serial killer on the loose wanted for the deaths of 14 police officers and the government had steeped in to help. They needed to inspect any citizens who fitted the description of the murder and surprisingly Quent was a nominee.

The militants commenced with drilling him asking both personal and confusing questions. Whatever he couldn't answer the soldiers gave him a distrustful look and often I found myself trying to control Acsan from defending her careless father.

It was the first time in a long time that I have ever seen such a scared look on her beautiful face. She clutched my jacket when one of the soldier fellow redhead, glanced at her.

He advanced towards us with his heavy gun swinging against his hip. He looked so threatening I began to wonder if he was going to use it on us. He nodded at the two of us and raised his hand to shake Acsan's.

"You must be Acsan Yaiden." He asked with a country accent.

"Yes. How do you know my name?"

"Ma'am, we have a directory of every New Hope citizen's name and picture." He then looked at me. "But I don't remember seeing you in the directory."

"He's visiting." Acsan spoke for me keeping a close eye on her father.

He was being searched at the moment and Quent didn't seem very corporative.

"What's your name boy?" I turned my attention back to the soldier and remained silent.

I knew it meant nothing if I told him my name but the way he was looking at me…and Acsan, I didn't like it. It reminded me too much of Doctor Berrison.

The red-haired soldier turned away from us and joined back with the group that was holding Quent.I couldn't hear anything because of the loud commotion of the train station but the gestures signaled something bad was going to happen.

As I perceived, Acsan pulled away from me in shock as Quent was, with some struggle, carried off by the militants.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" Acsan questioned watching the soldiers walk off with Quent and then back at the redhead soldier.

"I sorry it had to come to this, Miss." He placed two gloved hand on her shoulders. "But your father matches the description of the killer."

The girl slapped the taller man's hands away furiously. "Bullshit! He answers a few questions wrong and you arrest him! This is the second time you militants screwed up here! Why can't you see no one likes you guys?"

The soldier squinted at Acsan and mumbled before clearing his throat looking at me. "I suggest you control your girlfriend before she gets herself into trouble."

I frowned at him watching him continue his little speech.

He shook his finger in front of Acsan like she was a child. "And I suggest that **you **watch your tongue or I'll rip it out myself."

When Acsan's hand connected with the soldier's bloody face, that's when I realized she did more than slap him.

She scratched him. Her beautiful porcelain nails tore into the bastard's cheek both grazing and puncturing his tanned skin.

Sometimes its incidents like this that make me love her even more.

"HEY YOU, COME BACK HERE!" Another militant shouted behind us.

Unfortunatly, the flesh wound the girl caused was not forgivable. In a blur, I took hold of her quivering hand and yanked her out of the station. It was easy making it past the blockage of guards and it was even easier blending in with the crowd outside. Lucky for Acsan, red was a popular hair color.

We ran as fast as we could panting wildly but never wishing for a break. The old scenery passed by us as fast as the memories that came with it. The cars, the streets, nothing looked any different expect for the fact that there was no snow on the ground.

Puddles filled the sidewalks and avenues and a light mist clung to the air. I no longer felt unsafe now surrounded by the buildings of my beloved memories. We slowed down walking across a familiar street allowing cars to pass us by.

Even the air smelled the same.

Like old factory smoke after a rainstorm.

It was chilly as well and the wind crept up the back of my neck causing me to shiver a bit and hold Acsan closer to me. We walked the same way I've seen lovers walk back then; arm and arm, hip to hip.

We stopped our stride watching a couple of old men pass by raising their hats to us. Their wrinkled faces full of wisdom and self-satisfaction calmed me and I actually waved back at them.

The two of us watched them walk away smiling softly to ourselves.

"They're the only nice people in this town."

I looked down at her. "Those two?"

"No, old people. Old people are the only ones not caught up in today's angst. They don't have any fears or sadness. They're just happy being who they are with what they have."

I said nothing observing the bothered look on the girl's face. She gently pulled away from me and walked over to railing that ran along the arched road beside us. That's when I realized where we were.

This was the same place were I first expressed my feelings…

And my need for her.

The bridge instead of snow was filled with deep blue water and a few articles of floating trash. The society was quiet and Mother Nature sang to us. A clock tower's bell rang off in the distance and crows sprang into the cloudy sky.

As Acsan leaned her elbows against the wooden post, I couldn't resist putting my arms around her waist. I pressed my chest against her laying my chin on her shoulder. We watched the water together admiring the reflection we saw.

"How on Earth am I going to get Quent back?"

"To find Quent you have to turn yourself in."

Acsan slightly squirmed against me. "Are you saying that's what I should do?"

"No. Not at all. I was just talking."

"We could always sneak in."

"I don't want to do that."

"Why not?"

"What if we get caught?"

"Aren't wolves all about stealth and precision?"

"Yes, but you're not a wolf, Acsan." Acsan could never know how much I care about her.

She sighed and I helped move a few strands of hair out of her face. "Then we're going to wait."

"Until we can find a better solution."

Acsan's gray eyes seemed darker than usual as she looked at me saying nothing. She leaned closer to me until the space between our lips vanished.

She stood up completely pulling away from our unbelievably short kiss. I was slightly frustrated with the brevity of it and my cheeks felt warm so I looked away.

"Kiba?"

"Yes?"

"It's chilly out." She pulled on my jacket biting her lip. "Let's go home." Acsan grabbed my hand leading me like a child off the bridge.

I felt incomplete. My heart was impatient and it hurt just "obeying" her. I couldn't read her thoughts or her gestures and it made me irritable and desperate.

Halfway off the arch, I pulled my hand away from her. She whirled around giving me a strange look with her mouth slightly open.

"Ki-".

"No." I interrupted her taking a step forward. I cupped her chin staring into her soft gray eyes.

"What?" She whispered confused.

It was hard to word what my heart was saying and the difficulty only magnified when her eyes met mine. Finally I found something.

"It hurts when you're brief with me."

Acsan blinked speechless.

"Every time I get a chance to be alone with you, someone or something deprives me of that moment."

It's so much easier to be simple.

"I like being with you, Acsan.So stop moving so fast."

It must have been my face…

It must have been my words…

Whatever it was, Acsan was convinced to kiss me again and this time, there were no interruptions.

Hearing the town clock chime, I smiled a little on the inside.

3 minutes.


	27. Mine

**Chapter 27**

**Mine**

Acsan couldn't figure out what was more adorable. Seeing a white wolf snuggle into the sheets on her bed or observing a beautiful dark-haired boy fall asleep in her bed.

The lights were off in her room and a soft bluish glow seeped through the white curtains of her window. The natural lighting gave Kiba's hair an angelic radiance as he frowned in his sleep.

Acsan leaned against the post of her door watching him sleep with his dirty sneakers and jacket discarded on the floor. She smiled at his carelessness and entered the room removing her own shoes and crawling on top of her queen-size bed.

In an instant, Kiba's eyes opened and he rolled slowly on his back studying Acsan's face as she creped beside him. They lay face to face and he smiled softly at the intimacy between the two of them.Kiba's arm laid above his head in a lazy fashion as he gazed at his beloved.

The wind blew hard outside and a few silhouettes of birds flew passed Acsan's window.

"How long do you plan on laying here?" She whispered allowing a warm finger to grace her forehead.

It was cute watching Kiba touch her. His face looked so peaceful and childlike.

It was even cuter hearing him whisper. "I want to stay here forever."

Acsan chuckled gently. "You can't stay in bed forever, you'll get sick."

"You know what I mean, Acsan." The boy scooted closer to her and planted a light kiss on her forehead.

Afterwards, he remained close smelling her scent and daydreaming.

"Wake me up around 9.Okay?" Acsan involuntary whispered.

"As you wish."

As perceived, Kiba burrowed his head into Acsan's neck and placed an arm around her torso making sure they were both comfortable. Sighing and smiling were the only actions that took place before the two fell asleep in the darkness.

-

New Hope's town clock tower chimed at 10 o'clock frightening another flock of crows away.

Kiba awoke to a cool breeze and an awkward vacancy underneath his arm. He realized the bedroom window was open and the white curtains were gently fanning over his tousled hair.

He arose from the bed holding his forehead and running his fingers through his hair. As he stood, he felt groggy stumbling a bit in search of his sneakers. When they were found, he captured them and sat back on the bed just as Acsan entered the room. He looked up and blinked a little startled.

He noticed she had changed outfits now dressed in worn jeans and a small yellow T-shirt. She was barefoot and her hair was pulled back in a low-set ponytail. To her it wasn't much of a change but to Kiba it was a major transformation.

"Hey." She smiled warmly sitting next to him on the bed. It bounced a little under their weight.

"Hey.Where did you go?" He asked finishing the bow on his left sneaker.

"To the bathroom….then I went to get something to eat."

"Oh…Hey, did you open that window?"

"Hm?" Acsan looked back at the window before crawling over her bed to close it. "Yeah.I thought you were hot."

"I wasn't."

"You were sweating a lot. At first I thought of pulling your shirt off but then I thought that would only be weird."

Kiba, emotionless, watched the girl rub the back of her head in embrassment.He didn't think the action of undressing him would have been weird. He pushed the contemplation aside.

"What did you eat?"

"Oh nothing. Just cheese and crackers." She chuckled. "It's all I could find worth eating."

"You don't have a lot food?" Kiba asked sensitively.

Acsan blinked and her grin lost some of its intensity. "It's not like we're poor or anything.Quent and I just buy take-out or whatever." She looked out the window. "We're not exactly a perfect family but I guess you already figured that out."

She was sad again.Kiba hated it when she was like this. Ignoring the fact his sneakers were on, he climbed completely onto the bed and pulled Acsan into a comforting hug. She pressed herself firmly against the boy's body forgetting the drams of the previous conversation.

A light flickered and the sound of a truck door slamming caught both of their attention.Kiba slowly freed himself from the embrace peeking through the curtains behind Acsan.

She peered outside her window as well into the darkness of the night. Even though it was late in the evening, sight was still possible.

The two teens watched as a limousine parked out in front of the house. Within a few mintues, police cars arrived filled with a threatening group of militants and other officials.

"Oh no." Acsan spoke quietly.

"Come on." Kiba grabbed hold of Acsan pulling her off the bed and out of the room.

"Kiba, we can't go anywhere."

"I'm sure we can."

"There's probably here to take me to my father."

Halfway down the stairs Kiba let go of Acsan's arm looking back at her sternly.

"Acsan, do you honestly think they're here just to take you to your father?"

Acsan frowned a bit.

"Acsan there's an abundant amount of militants outside. Think about it. If they wanted to take you to your father, why would they need to bring all those men?" Kiba looked at the floor with a disturbed expression.

"Or even more strange, why did they bring a limousine?"

A large knock on the front door caused the two lovers to jump. They faced the door and approached it slowly ignoring the quick repetition of the knocks as well as the flashes of lights peeking through the windows.

"Acsan Yaiden, this is the police. Open the door at once!" A voice shouted outside.

Acsan looked at Kiba and the boy didn't respond keeping a blank face.

"We know you are in there Ms. Yaiden! Either came out or my men will pull you out!"

The redhead placed her hand on the knob of the door unlocking it catiously.Kiba watched her anxious to know what was going to happen once they were exposed to the military officials.

The large mahogany door of the Yaiden household swayed open and an assault of fluorescent light attacked the teens' eyes.

They squinted seeing a handful of police cars, with lights ablaze, surrounding a long black limousine. The red and blue lights reflected off of it in the night and the back door was open.

The inside of the vehicle was so dark; no one could see what it contained.

Kiba's hand slipped into Acsan's as a soldier advanced towards them. He was tall and very muscular with a piton and handcuffs hanging from his belt.

Kiba eyed them cautiously as the man examined Acsan first.

Her face met the soldier's chest as he flashed a light over her. "Are you Acsan Yaiden?"

The girl looked off into the distance. A few spectators were arriving at the scene.

"Ma'am.I asked you a question?"

"Y-yes! Yes I am."

The soldier turned his attention to Kiba who glared at the broad man hatefully. "And who is this?"

"A friend of mine. From Adventine.He's visiting for a while."

The soldier looked over the two suspiciously one last time before stepping off the cement porch and rejoining with authorities.

Acsan kept her gray eyes glued to her bare foot. They had gotten wet after stepping into a small shallow puddle.

She didn't bother to raise her head hearing the same man approach again.

"Ms. Yaiden."

Acsan raised her head bravely.

"I'm placing you and your friend under arrest."

Acsan's eyes widened. "What?! For What?!"

"Governmental Interference."

"Governmental interference?! I didn't do anything….**He **didn't do anything!" She nodded over at Kiba.

The boy was surprisingly calm however he did not allow the officials to touch him.Acsan back away from the soldier stubbornly.

"Ma'am.I need you two to come with us for questioning."

"We didn't do anything." The thought of running away was pointless as the girl was tackled to the ground and forced on her stomach.

Kiba found himself pressed against the concrete as well only by four instead on one man. He watched patiently as Acsan was subdued ignoring his own predicament.

"For a little guy, he sure is strong." A soldier remarked.

"Doesn't mean a damn thing." Replied the soldier handcuffing Acsan.His knee was in her back and the redhead found it hard to breathe.

The teen fugitives were brought to their feet and forced to stand apart. The tall soldier grabbed a hold of Acsan's chin demanding her to look at him. She was struggling to breathe by coughing and gasping.

"You see. If you just listened to me your back wouldn't be hurting right now."

Acsan gasped sharply. "It's not my back that hurts, you ass."

Tomboy-spirited spit crashed against the militant's face causing him to turn his head and curse. He regained control of her grabbing her shoulders and squeezing them. He lifted her off of the ground allowing their faces to meet.

"If you ever do that again, I'LL SNAP YOU IN HALF!" His voice boomed echoing down the neighborhood street.

Enough though the man's face was strong and terrifyingly grotesque, Acsan kept a solid expression never once blinking. The power of a Yaiden's spirit could by no means be broken.

"You're lucky he wants you alive."

Acsan's face relaxed as she raised an eyebrow. "He?"

Pushed crashing into each other, Kiba and Acsan were escorted to the limousine that sat in waiting with its back door wide open.

Five militants surrounded the teens as the taller one barked on. "As you requested Doctor!" He as well as the other militants saluted.

"Doctor." Acsan barely spoke.

In mere seconds, a slender man dressed in white emerged from the blackness of the limousine. He tilted his white hat reliving an alluringly handsome face and blue eyes.

He grinned taking a slight bow before Acsan whose stomach churned and tightened.

Her breath froze in her lungs and the words wouldn't come.

A smaller soldier standing beside the man pulled his feet together and saluted. "Presenting Doctor Romulus Berrison! Government Commander of Medical Science!"

Acsan's body froze. "Ron."

"Mm." The man cupped her chin and rubbed her bottom lip with his thumb. "You always were a trouble-maker, Ms. Yaiden."


	28. The Morphine Waltz

**Chapter 28**

**The Morphine Waltz **

New Hope's town streetlights flashed over Acsan's face as she sat chained against her seat inside the black limousine. Kiba resided beside her chained in the same fashion and unable to reach her.

The two of them watched the man across from them. He remained quiet, as they were, with crossed legs and a rose twirling between his fingertips. He smiled so handsomely in the darkness of the vehicle that it actually appeared rather eerie after a minute passed by.

Berrison was amused. One teen before him had a threatening look on his face while the girl beside him had fear in her eyes.

"Ms. Yaiden."

Acsan blinked.

"You look beautiful." He uncrossed his legs playing with the rose in his hand. "Did you do something with your hair?"

Acsan was far too disturbed to answer. Question after question was racing through her head and the fear of the undead had become apparent.

"Doctor Berrison, is it?" Kiba finally spoke.

He caught Berrison's attention yet it took the doctor forever to finally look at the boy. It was as if he was in a trance gazing at Acsan in a possessive manner. If only Kiba knew what the doctor was thinking?

"Yes.Kiba was your name, am I correct?"

Kiba silenced himself.

"You were supposed to be dead." Acsan finally spoke though she was still fearful when the doctor's eyes met hers again.

"Well surprise, surprise." Berrison looked at his rose for a moment. "Fate works in mystrerious ways."

"More like illogical ways. How on Earth-"

"Surely, we can talk about that another time." Interrupted the doctor. "We have far more important decisions to discuss."

"As far as I'm concerned, we're through talking with you." Kiba replied.

Acsan slightly nodded in agreement.

"Ah, yes.But you are forgetting who's the puppet and who is the puppet master, dear boy."

The man's alabaster fingers graced a silver button at the bottom of his seat. He pressed it and a small door opened to his left revealing, to the teens' relief, a silver tray with two wine glasses and a bottle of what most likely was champagne.

Berrison pulled out the tray and bottle and served a glass to himself while leaving the other filled but solitary.

He raised the glass towards the teens. "I'm dreadfully sorry we can't all enjoy the wine but I only have two glasses." Ron's piercing eyes caught a glimpse of the redhead girl. "Unless, you would like to share glasses with me, Ms. Yaiden."

Acsan squirmed in her seat before turning the other way. This action made the doctor smile. Inflexibility always had a hold on him. It attracted him.

The remainder of the ride was silent and errie.Several types of glares, glimpses and glances were exchanged but no one said a thing.

The opaque limousine pulled up to a large laboratorial building surrounded in barbed-wire fencing and guards. It was located on the more polluted side of town which was known for its brown and trashy appearance.

As expected, the teenagers were pulled out of the vehicle chained but not linked together.Berrison, Acsan and a couple of guards led the way to the entrance while Kiba followed behind with an entourage of officials.

Advancing towards the doorway, the steps were made of concrete and the atmosphere smelled like rubber.Acsan could only imagine what contents and secrets the building held within.

Two burly men pushed open the fogged glass doors and Acsan squinted at the sudden burst of light. While the girl looked on in awe, Berrison merely smiled still holding his thorn-deprived rose between his fingers. He sniffed it instinctively before taking a few more steps into the foyer.

The eloquent lobby was adorned in gold and ivory. The floors, walls, and ceiling sparkled with richness making the rest of the structures in New Hope look like rubbish.Acsan stumbled after being pushed farther into the building giving her a better view. It was like a pearly oasis making everything and everyone pale in the wake of its beauty. Everyone except Romulus Berrison.

Kiba, who finally made it inside, watched as Berrison ascended a few steps up the curving staircase before him. There was a maid awaiting him with a perky smile on her face. Without saying much, she took his hat and white coat before disappearing up the stairs.

Watching the maid vanish from sight, Berrison turned back to Acsan looking her over shortly.

He extended his arms as if wanting a hug and announced. "Ms. Yaiden and her friend, Kiba are here by guests in my home."

"This is his house." Acsan muttered.

"But unfortunately, I only need Ms. Yaiden to accompany me this evening."

The doctor grinned a bit observing the questionable look on "Ms. Yaiden's" face. "You will see him again, my dear."

"What?" Acsan suddenly noticed Kiba was rather quiet.Normally, she would have expected the boy to say something disrespectful.However, when she turned to glance at him, the wolf-boy was gone.

Acsan's red hair whipped across her face as she turned back to face Dr. Berrison. "Where did you take him?"

Berrison's face softened as he approached the girl. He lifted her chin loving the deep gray pools that where Acsan's eyes.

"Stress is never good for a girl of very age."

Acsan pulled away discussed. "Stop going off subject! What did you do with Kiba?!"

"Now, now.There's no need to shout in my home."

This was unbelievable. Acsan's father was missing and now Kiba was being held captive by the only man in the world that she truly despised. She was fuming and that bastard of a man had the nerve to play with her.

A loud slapping noise resonated throughout the foyer and even rushed down the corridors underneath the staircase.

Berrison shocked expression diminished quicker than the inflammation on his cheek.He touched the reddened area smiling yet again watching his guards seize Acsan by the arms.

"I understand your anger Acsan however," The doctor snapped his fingers and a maid carrying a silver platter covered with a cloth entered the room. "I will not allow you to be so unruly."

The perky maid stood next to Berrison as he removed the cloth from the tray.

Acsan's eyes widened as a large syringe was reveled to her.

"Ms. Yaiden do you know what morphine is?"

Acsan only watched the needle he was holding.

"It's a wonderful drug. I use it on my patients after surgery. It relieves pain and it's also used for general anesthesia."

The doctor tapped the syringe examining it as Acsan struggled with the guard who held her arm.

"You're in a lot of pain aren't you Ms. Yaiden?"

"Wha-What?! No!" Acsan's heart quickened as the doctor grasped her trembling arm.

"That's not what your father told me. I've been watching you for quite some time now, Acsan." His voice lowered to a whisper. "I know what you're going through. And I hate seeing you suffer."

Tears filled Acsan's pleading eyes as her legs gave way. "What are you talking about?" Fear stiffened her voice.

"You will hurt no more."

As the needle punctured the girl's skin, Berrison watched as she slowly drifted away. Her eyes became heavy and her words turned to mumbles. Before she knew it, Acsan was resting in the arms of her doctor.

Without saying a word, Romulus carried her up the stairs keeping his eyes on the young woman sleeping against his chest.

-

Cold and beaten, Kiba laid tattered along the stone floor of what looked like a jail cell.His breaths were sharp as blood collected in his mouth.He coughed nearly chocking on the red liquid and came to the morbid conclusion that he might be internally bleeding.

Unknown to him,Romulus Berrison had ordered his many burly guards to beat and,if they wished, torture the boy.Kiba was to be punished for reasons of both being the first to captivate Acsan and for being a wolf.

Though the guards had no idea what their leader was talking about, his explanation did not stop the men from doing their vile duty.

Kiba pounded the chilly floor forcing himself to roll over onto his stomach.His body felt broken but he's loyalty was unharmed.He felt content knowing that Acsan would be safe.She wouldn't get hurt if he didn't fight back.

He chuckled bitterly resting an arm on his forehead looking up at the black ceiling laced with electric wires.A small insect scurried across his shoe and he observed it with a blank expression.

"What had I done?" He spoke to himself.

"Oh,I'm pretty sure you know what ya did." A slightly comical and shockingly familiar voice caused Kiba's ears to perk.

"Wha-Hige." Kiba struggled to move into a sitting position.

Across from him,a large brown wolf stood in a separate cell. He had been badly beaten as well and the collar normally around his neck was missing.

Kiba's blue eyes brightened. "Hige!"

"Jeez, settle down. Don't be so loud." Hige rubbed the back of his head.

"Where are the others?"

Hige paused his calming smile and looked at the ground distraught. "They're free. They were never captured."

"They didn't come to save you?"

"Ptf.It's not like they could. This place is so locked up I'm surprised the guards themselves can get out."

"That doesn't seem right.Tsume would have never left us behind."

"Us?...Anyways,I wouldn't be surprised if they never came back.Tsume has been fed up with my existence and Toboe will do anything Tsume says. He could care less."

"Unbeilievable."

"So, you mind telling me why we're here?"

"I don't know. But something tells me it has to do with Acsan and that doctor."

"You mean that guy dressed in white?"

"Yes.Acsan told me of his ways. He's not to be trusted."

Hige's eyebrows lowered in a sarcastic expression. "Gee thanks, I'll remember that next time."

"Nevertheless, we need to find a way out of here and get Acsan."

"Hm."

"Despite our differences from the past, Acsan really needs us,Hige."

"That's not what's bothering me."

"What is it?"

"Look at you. You're bleeding and can barely move. Not to mention these cell doors. We can't leave this place. It's impossible."

Kiba gave Hige a look of disbelief. This was the wolf that was known to obsess over women and when he finally gets the chance to be near Acsan, he gives up?

The white wolf watched his past comrade in the darkness with question. A chilling breeze flew through the cells and Kiba felt hopeless.

-

Acsan's head throbbed as sunlight kissed her pale face. Her eyes fluttered open and she found herself in a room, a dining room that reminded her of the English country. Its large window overlooked the depressing town of New Hope that appeared to still be in a deep slumber.

The soothing voice of a lonesome piano played behind her and she fought with her body to move. When she almost succeeded, the music stopped.

"There's no need to move, my dear Acsan." The doctor voice stung her ears. "I merely wished to play you a song when you awoke."

Berrison approached the drowsy girl from behind rubbing her shoulders firmly. "Now that I have you all to myself, I need you to tell me something."

The doctor hovered over her for a well, perhaps admiring her beauty before lifting her into his arms effortlessly.Unforntuanty; the morphine had not completely worn off.

"Now then, let's converse somewhere private." The two left the room abandoning the maids in waiting and the few guards standing by.

One complimented on how beautiful the morning sun looked from outside and a maid agreed.


	29. Hoarder

**Chapter 29**

**Hoarder**

I hate him.

I hate the way he speaks the way he's always smiling at me. I hate the way complements me and never speaks when I ask questions.

He's a devil of a man and I wish I never knew him. I can't blame this on my father. He was far too "gone' to even witness what his so-called best friend was after.

Me.

He had led or rather carried me into the sunroom that viewed the garden behind his house. The room was warm and cozy yet I shivered causing him to hold me closer. The morning sun gave little warmth flashing sparkles of yellow across the rose bushes and sakura trees before us.

We sat at a small white table in fancy white chairs.Berrison sat across from me with folded arms looking off into the distance until a maid came in with a tray of tea. She served us cheerfully focusing on her work and never once looking at me.

"This place is known as my healing garden.Beautiful, is it not?" He waved a hand at the scenery outside.

I wanted to curse. I wanted to lash out at him and completely reduce him to a pile of nothing. The maid left as quietly as she came and I turned my attention back to the window.

"What I wanted to ask you was, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you say Kiba was a wolf?"

The question was so blunt and abnormal. I turned away more from him. My voice was still too soft.

Berrison watched me expecting an answer. When he finally realized I wasn't going to speak to him, he continued.

"Very well then.Ms. Yaiden I'm going to be honest with you. I admire you."

I twitched but didn't look at him.

"It's true. I find you quite wonderful. In fact, even better looking than Maryanne."

I had completely forgotten about the doctor's wife. It only sickened me to think he cared more for me than his own wife.

"Before you complain, I assure you that Maryanne is not my wife. I only pay her to be for social occasions. The child you saw her with is not even mine." He stared at me running his warm fingers along the edge of his teacup. "No need to worry."

"Give the morphine a few more minutes. You'll be able to speak for me soon enough."

Berrison spoke as if I was interested in him. Although the age difference wasn't a problem, the fact that he held Kiba captive and the overall creepiness was a downer in itself.

He lifted his teacup to his lips. "So, what is it about wolves that you find so alluring Ms. Yaiden?" He took a sip trying to hide a smile.

"It's quite alright.I already know everything. Wolves living among humans, the mindgames, I know it all."

"H-How-"

"He's a white wolf, isn't he?" Berrison placed the teacup down asking the question firmly.

"Yes." He was talking about Kiba.

"He's rather magical." Berrison complimented adding sugar to his tea. "I've never seen a white wolf before."

It felt weird discussing Kiba and his, our, secret with Berrison.I never trusted the man yet here I was engaging in conversation. What did he want?

"You probably never knew this but I use to be a collector."

"Oh?" My voice was coming back.

"A hoarder I'm afraid. When I was young, I use to collect dogs of all types and colors. Then eventually my love for canines grew into a love for wolves. They always seemed more exotic, don't you think?"

I shrugged off his question.

"I use to have 40 dogs back when my father was alive. Now I have none. Business gets in the way of leisure sometimes.However, I did manage to have some of my men fetch me a pet. They found 3 wolves near that city…Adventine, I believe.Sadly, only one made it here."

My heart skipped a beat. The doctor's story sounded very suspicious and scary. Could have Berrison's men possibly discovered Kiba's pack? No, the world can't possibly be that small.

"You seem uneasy. Are you feeling okay?"

"My father is missing and you're holding a friend of mind captive. Yeah. I'm doing great."

Berrison shook his head and chuckled at me. "Your sarcastic always tickles me."

"When are you going to let us go?"

Berrison frowned a bit at my question. "I don't plan on allowing you to leave, Acsan."

"You can't hold me here."

"I believe I can.Besides, it's not like you can run away."

"I bet you were responsible for Quent getting arrested."

"Well. I had to disarm you somehow."

"Where is he?" My voice had fully returned as well as the movement of my joints.

"In a jailhouse, in an asylum, in a creek, who knows?" He spoke with sophistication.

"In a creek?"

"Your father could be dead for all we know. Everyone in this filthy town knows the rules, Acsan.You rebel, you get shot as well."

"That's not funny."

"Who's laughing?"

I rested back in my chair tapping my foot feeling helpless. It was the most horrible feeling and to watch "Romulus" grin at me behind that teacup only made things worse.

I grabbed my untouched teacup and threw it at him. The auburn liquid splashed everywhere staining the chairs and Berrison face and clothes.

He pulled out a napkin and wiped his face. "I see the morphine wore off. That wasn't very nice Acsan."

"It's a pity that tea was already cold!" It felt good to shout at him. It had always been there, the thought to rebel.

Berrison rested his chin in his hand watching me rise from the table. "Are you leaving?"

"Yes!"

"And where will you go?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"I just find it sad. You no longer have any living relatives."

"My father isn't dead. Some friend you are." I walked past him nearing the doorway. I was surprised he wasn't coming after me.

"Sometimes we must play pretend to get what we want, Ms. Yaiden. All I wanted was you."

"Well I'm sorry you failed."

"Oh no." Berrison kept his back to me. "Doctors aren't allowed to fail. I never fail."

I watched the doctor as he watched me. The look in his eyes was gentle and friendly. Although I knew he was pure evil, it was impossible for me to shake this strange feeling of friendliness.

I turned away from him exiting the room and descending down a flight of stairs.I have no idea where I was going as soon as I reached the foyer and no one was around to help me.

"Down the corridor to your left." I turned quickly around.

There, Berrison stood at the top of the stairs smiling as usual still covered in tea. His happiness seemed fake and scary so I looked away.

"Why do you want me to find Kiba?"

"I'm being nice. You'll never stay here if I'm strict with you." He replied humbly from the top of the stairs.

Another than that bothered me was the fact that the doctor wasn't coming after me. He just stood there staring, watching me depart down the corridor that supposedly led to where Kiba was being held.

The corridor was long and decorated in pictures of woman. Perhaps past lovers? I don't care. I took note of the especially strange empty picture frame hanging on the wall.

Seeing a single door by itself, I opened it and a huge gush of rancid air filled my senses. My heart jumped hearing Kiba's soothing voice and one far too familiar.


	30. Huntress

**Chapter 30**

**Huntress**

The Berrison jailhouse was cold and dark. If it hadn't been for the familiar voices echoing around her, Acsan would have turned around and ran. There were no windows yet air blew through her hair. The stale smell of whatever was in the room grew stronger with every step she took.

She kept her hands running along the steel bars of the many cells that stretched down the end of the walkway.

She walked cautiously and squealed when a small mouse ran passed her foot.

Kiba gasped and Hige lifted his head hearing someone's voice in the distance.

"What the heck was that?" Hige questioned.

Kiba grabbed hold of the bars in his cell. "Acsan!"

"What?!" The girl replied irritated. The faint screech of a rodent was heard and Kiba smiled a little. It was comical to the white wolf. "Where are you?"

"Down here." Kiba called back. "Just come a little closer."

Hige remained soundless listening to the couple's instructive conversation. He couldn't believe that they were still together. Secretly he had hoped the two would go their separate ways. Being with Acsan was still a fantasy and he wasn't giving up on her just yet.

His ears perked seeing the girl appear from the frozen shadows.She seemed different to him.She looked stronger,older,and as beautiful as ever.He watched the redhead as she approached Kiba's cell kneeling down to pick at the lock.

He noticed how in tune the couple was.They touched each other passionately and their eyes filled with tears or relief. The fear of being ignored began to peck at Hige's heart and he cleared his throat.

Like he wished,Acsan turned away from Kiba's lock and her face dropped in shock.

"Hige?"

"Hey."

"You're the wolf Berrison was talking about."

"If you mean the guy that brought me here then, yes."

"I can't believe its you.My God what did they do to you two?" Hige smirked as she crawled over to his cellblock.

"I guess it proves that I can't be away from you."

Acsan's reassuring smile melted having caught what Hige was implying. "Hige,now's not the time to talk about that."

"Why not? We got all day."

"I'm going to find a way to free you two.I don't plan on staying here and netheir will you guys.Even if I disapprove of you."

Hige's eyebrows narrowed. "Why the hell are you even here then?"

"What?"

"If you disapprove of me,then why are you helping me?" Hige raised his voice.

Kiba took offense and leaned further into the cell bars. "She wants to save you,Hige.That should be enough for you."

Hige tilted his head to look at Kiba. "You shut up! Just because I'm being nice to you doesn't mean we're friends again, Kiba! You stole from me."

Acsan exhaled heavily. "Now I'm your property?"

Hige's eyes scanned back to the redhead. "I never said that!"

"Unreal.Here I am trying to save your ass and you complain?" Acsan readjusted her seating position. "Do you want to stay here?"

Hige's eyes lowered to the ground and his hands squeezed the cell bars. "I wouldn't be surprised if you left me here." He mumbled.

"Hige,you can't be serious." Acsan shook her head irritated with the wolf's "depressive" ramblings.

"You said,you disapproved of me."

"Right.I said that I disapproved of you,Hige. I never said that I hated you."

"Yet,you want to be with him." Hige briefly nodded in Kiba's direction.

Acsan looked at Kiba before returning back to the brown wolf. "I love Kiba.I trust him.And that doesn't mean I never trusted you once upon a time.Your vision of how life was going to be with me was far too risky and basically insane.I hate to get sappy but Hige you're a really amazing guy.You're just scary when it comes to intimacy."

"And Kiba's a softy and that's what you like."

"Kiba can be a softy but that's not the reason why I love him."

"Then what is it Ms. Yaiden?"

The threesome looked towards the darkness hearing footsteps.Before Acsan could fully rise to her feet,Romulus entered the area smiling dressed in a different white outfit.

"What do you want?" Acsan asked stubbornly.

"Keep asking questions like that Acsan,and you'll excite me." The doctor chuckled a bit at the girl's uneasy expression.

"I'm impressed you made it this far,Ms. Yaiden."

"You told me where this place was."

"True.True." Berrison took a few steps towards the girl. "But I never took you to try and free them."

As the doctor came closer,Acsan continued to back away until her back hit something rough,perhaps the wall.

"Acsan." Hige randomly called her but the girl didn't here it.

The two wolves looked on in worriment as the doctor placed his hands on the girl's throat.

"It's so frustrating Ms. Yaiden." He ran a stray finger across the girl's throat and slowly dragged it down her chest. "How can something so beautiful-"

Feeling uncomfortable,Acsan slapped the offending hand away only for it to return to her throat firmly pinning her against the stone wall.

"Have such a negative core." Her body squirmed as she fought to breathe.She turned her head to the side as much as she could squeezing the angered doctor's strong hand in a plea to survive.

Her vision was starting to blur and she felt a sharp pain poking at her leg.Beilieving it was a knife,she kicked it away and a machical sound boomed through the jailhouse.

Electric wires snapped and sparked in blue and purple colors and the two jumped as one detatched from the ceiling. Kiba found his cell door to be rather loose and flashed a quick glance at Hige who grinned with confidence.

"Why do you find them so appealing? How can a mere wolf please a woman of your status? They change you.They destroy you.Only I am worthy of your presence!" The doctor shouted slamming her frail body against the wall.

Acsan had miraculously freed herself from the doctor's choking but not his grip. He remained pinning her against the wall by her arms with a heart filled with frustrastion,lust, and jealousy.

She knew it.Acsan knew it all along that Romulus Berrison was no good.Ever since the first day she met him,she could see that this man was by no means a wonderful person.

Before she realized it,Berrison clasped to the floor after a blunt force was applied to the back of his head. His head lay at Acsan's feet bleeding and motionless.

Hige and Kiba,in troubling unison,grabbed a hold of Acsan's wrists.

Kiba ignored the issue. "We have to leave!"

"I think she knows that Kiba!" Hige retorted.

The loud snapping of electrical wires made it hard to hear anything.

Kiba gave Hige an bothersome glare before the three raced off into the electrical darkness.Inside the house,they rushed down the highly decorated corridor highly award of the alarm system that went off randomly.

They skidded to a stop when they reached the wide marble-floored foyer populated by guards…

And militants.

Hige and Kiba quickly thought of a way out that involved Acsan not getting hurt.Acsan panted as her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

A large military solider raised his gun and aimed at Kiba while the others aimed where they pleased.Acsan stood in the middle of the two boys noticing the lack of red-lasers that she expected to be on her body.

"Miss Acsan Yaiden." The large solider spoke. "You are not expected to be executed here.You may return to-"

"You people are insane!" Acsan interrupted. Her throat hurt and her legs where becoming heavy. "They never did anything! How can you take order from a man as senile as Berrison?! He can't be trusted."

A single shot was fired grazing Kiba but hitting Acsan in the forearm. She stumbled backwards holding her arm and screaming.

The pain was tremendous and she collapsed to the floor watching the blood seep from her arm.

The two wolves turned to find the bullet's origin and only the infamous Doctor Berrison stood.His smile was gone and a look of fury was plastered on his face.He pointed his gun at Kiba watching Acsan writhe on the marble floor.

"Now she has a reason to stay." He muttered to himself. "You wolves have no right to be here.Living amongst society is a gift that only humans are allowed to have."

He fired the gun once again but missed the wolves.The guards still took aim on them however laid in waiting for Berriosn signal.

"Acsan was right.Nothing good could ever come from a man like you.You're the reason I hate humans." Kiba spoke ignoring the many guns surrounding him.

Hige approached Acsan who was still crying and helped her up fighting to hold her.She shuddered staring straight at Berrison biting back the pain.

"Miss Acsan.You can't possibly leave with these wolves in your condition." Berrison chuckled at her pathetic attempt to stand valiantly.

The redhead turned to Hige. They were so close their noses nearly touched. "Hige?" She whispered.

"Yes."

"Make a run for it."

"What?"

"Berrison already shot me once.He won't shoot me again.He knows I'll loose too much blood."

Kiba overheard the conversation but didn't move from his position.

"Acsan you're crazy!"

Hige's eyes widened with the foreign feeling of the girl's lips meeting his.She held him as best she could.

"Acsan."

"You always were like a big teddy bear to me."

"You can't stay here."

"I'm not."

"But you can't escape him.You're hurt."

While this conversation continued,Berrison waited for the right moment to kill the remaining wolves.

"You two are faster than I am and I know you can take these guys by yourself.But if you run now,I'll follow you and then you can escape.They won't shoot me."

Hige gazed into Acsan's eyes.He truly loved the girl and seeing her blood made his heart churn.

He lifted his head to look at Kiba. "Hey,Kiba."

Kiba stood quietly looking at Hige with a blank face.The two stared at each other and in a blinked of an eye they sprinted off.

"After them!" Berrison shouted. His many guards pushed their way past Acsan and out the front door Hige and Kiba broke through.

Acsan smirked at the boys hearing the doctor's orders being projected over all of the noise.

"Miss Yaiden!"

The girl turned to the doctor as the river of militants past her by.She smiled at her tiredly and just like a feather in the wind, she vanished in the rushing crowd of guards.

Ignoring the sharp pain in her arm,Acsan ran into the courtyard joining the hundreds of guards that surprisingly didn't stop her.

She caught a glimpse of a white and brown wolf leaping of the barbed-wire fence and her heart relaxed a little as long as they were safe nothing else mattered.

Kiba and Hige continued to run until they found a place to hide.They nestled on the side of an weed-filled creek that was empty and contained large amounts of trash.

From where they were positioned they could still see the Berrison's house and the guards completely clueless to where they were.

Kiba's blue eyes scanned the front yard looking for his red-haired angel. "Do you see her?" He breathed heavily.

"There!" Hige cautiously pointed. "Yes!"

They watched as Acsan raced towards the front gate feeling more relaxed now knowing she was going to make it.

When the house emptied out,only Berrison was left searching the yard for the teenage girl he so deeply admired.

But when she was missing and all he saw was that damned white wolf exiting his front yard.He aimed and pulled the trigger.

The world stood still as Kiba and Hige watched Acsan hit the dusty path leading to Berrison's front gate.

She landed on her stomach and rolled a bit on her side. As her lungs constricted,Acsan stared into the gray sky having lost feeling in her arms and legs.

Her ruby hair laid in a mess across her face and a few blackbirds flew over her into the graying sky.

Taking in her last shaky breaths, she heard howling and the world turned black and vanished.

…

Kiba and Hige stood on a yellow hill located just outside New Hope.The boys stood together staring down at a pile of dirt graced with a rose from Dr.Berrison's garden.

Their faces were emotionless as the wind whipped by messing with Kiba's hair and Hige's hoodie.

He had put it over his head feeling cold even tough it was the middle of Spring. He shoved his hands in his pockets watching Kiba make shapes in the dirt.

"Should I say anything?"

"Say what you wish." Kiba's voice was extremely soft.

Hige wrinkle his nose and turned his head away. "I got nothing'."

"Neither do I. What's to be said if she already knows?"

"Do you think Quent will find out?"

Kiba said nothing. He arose from the gravesite and stared at the dirt one last time.

The two abandoned the area and walked along the road that led away from New Hope.

"Paradise, was it?" Hige questioned.

"Hn."

"How long till we get there?"

_Aishiteta to nageku ni wa_

_Amari ni mo toki wa sugi te shimatta_

_Mada kokoro no hokorobi o_

_Iyasenumama kaze ga fuiteru_

_Hitotsu no me de asu o mite_

_Hitotsu no me de kinou mitsumeteru_

_Kimi no ai no yurikagode_

_Mo ichido yasurakani nemuretara_

_Kawaita hitomi de dareka na itekure_

_The real folk blues_

_Honto no kanashimi ga shiritaidake_

_Doro no kawa ni sukatta jinsei mo warukuwanai_

_Ichido kiri de owarunara_

_Kibou ni michita zetsuboto_

_Wanagashikakerareteru kono chansu_

_Nani ga yoku te warui no ka_

_Koin no omoi to kuramitaita_

_Dore dake ikireba iyasareru no darou_

_The real folk blues_

_Honto no yorokopi ga shiritai dake_

_Hikaru mono no subete ga ougen to wa kagiranai_

_The real folk blues_

_Honto no kanashimi ga shiritaidake_

_Doro no kawa ni sukatta jinsei mo warukuwanai_

_Ichido kiri de owarunara_

_-THE END-_

"_It is better to have loved than to not have loved at all."_


End file.
